


Walls Come Tumbling Down

by Calypphire



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bottom Remus Lupin, Child Abandonment, Dom Severus Snape, Dom/sub, Fluff, Intersex, M/M, Mpreg, Past Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Slash, Sub Remus Lupin, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2020-09-30 17:14:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 19
Words: 45,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20450681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calypphire/pseuds/Calypphire
Summary: Severus follows a gut feeling that saves Remus from a terrible fate.But in doing so, end up becoming mates.They soon learn more about the other than they thought possible, as their walls begin to chip away.Set in the Marauder EraAdding tags as the story goes along.I will warn that the content will have some mentions of intersex and male bearing, if this isn't something you are comfortable with, please know you have been told.





	1. Gut Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> This fiction had been bubbling inside my brain for a good while, it was a matter of finding ways to make it happen.  
Not even sure if the story has the characters in character, currently just Severus and Remus at the moment, as I am writing it in the first person, which is a little out of my comfort zone in writing, but this story had be told this way for the Third Person just didn't fit, so this is going to be a challenge for me, one I hope you enjoy as the story progresses.
> 
> You will be noted on whose perspective you will be seeing in from the name of that character followed by POV, which will be in _Italic_
> 
> **As mentioned in the summary the content will have some mentions of intersex and male bearing, if this isn't something you are comfortable with, please know you have been told. I am just adding it here, in case it was missed**

Chapter 1  
Gut Feeling

_Severus’s POV:_

I ought to be going back to my common room, but seeing Lupin with the school nurse, Madam Pomfrey walking across the Entrance Hall and outside of the castle, I did have to wonder.

No doubt his gang of mates will join him.  
But I couldn’t help noticing something rather peculiar about the expression on Lupin’s face; like he was afraid.  
Why should I care?  
Still, it was unsettling somehow.

I know what he is!  
With him and his fuckwit buddies pulling that prank on me that could have me killed. Or worse!  
I just shudder at that thought.  
Why should it matter to me if something is troubling my Gryffindor classmate?

Sure, at one point, I thought he was particularly charming. In sure need of a backbone, but I couldn’t flat-out hate him. Lupin, up until when I found out what he was, was rather appealing to me. I don’t know why, just was.

Many were in this belief that I was crushing on Lily Evans. We were just friends, nothing more! I have nothing against girls, some of them are rather pretty to look at, I may have gotten rather hard on occasion, but overtime, I learned that I leaned more toward those of the same sex as I am.  
_**Males!**_

Just looking at some of their physiques, the way they dress, of course there are different types...  
_Snap out of it Severus!_ I tell myself off, shaking my head.

Finally, I just go straight to dungeons where I was meant to be.  
But... this stupid inkling just wasn’t going away!  
Why?

Honest to Merlin’s arse, all I did was see Lupin and Pomfrey leaving out of the door! So what...?  
I reach the entry for the Slytherin dormitory, which was a stone wall.  
I spoke the password; enter through the little passage way that leads me to the common room.

“Hey, Snape!” I hear Avery call. “Wanna game of chess?”  
“Perhaps later, I’ve got assignments to finish,” I say.  
This is met with eyes rolling, but I don’t care, I make my way to the boys’ section, and to my area, which I share with Avery, Mulciber and a few other boys of my year, toss my bag on to my bed and plonk down.

I push as much of what I saw on Lupin’s face as possible and got on with what I needed to do.  
Yet, as the night wore on, I started to wind down, that feeling just...  
Nope! No! You’re not going to go and investigate! I scold at myself.  
My feet, however, seem to have had other ideas, because next thing I know, I am walking out of the boys’ dorm and toward the exit.

“Where are you going?” I hear someone ask, Regulus Black, brother to Sirius Black, and a good friend to me. I hold nothing against him being related to that wannabe murderer. Never have, never will.  
“I need to see the Headmaster about something!” I say really quickly.  
“But it’s nearly curfew!”  
“I’ll risk it!”

With that, I was out of the common room, moving along the dungeons and out into the Entrance Hall.  
However, instead of going toward the grand staircase that would take me to Professor Dumbledore’s office, I head straight to the castle doors and managed to slip out.  
It was a rather fresh night, being mid-October, it shouldn’t be a surprise.

I forgot my coat! _Fuck!_  
But, no use turning back now!

I quickly make my way to the Whomping Willow, where the entrance to the Shrieking Shack would me. Many believe the shrieking is from violent ghosts, but I know better, it was a rumour Dumbledore encouraged to deter anyone from going toward the place. Especially on a night like this.

The full moon was nearly in position for the great transformation.  
I managed to dodge the violent tree and hit the knob that would freeze it long enough for me to get into the tunnel.  
As I do, my stomach churns and flips.

This was not a good sign. It was a sign that I should have listened to when Sirius Black convinced me to come here last year, around the same time, when I discovered Remus Lupin’s secret disappearances.  
Only this time, it’s nothing to do with Lupin. At least... not...

“I cannot wait for that moon to change us,” I hear a snarly voice, menacing and bone chilling, when I got to the trapdoor and carefully listen in. “I am going to make you mine! You will be **my bitch!**”  
“Please, don’t! Haven’t you tormented me enough?” I hear whimpers.  
_Lupin!_

My wand slides down my sleeve and into my hand.  
Silently I send a Patronus toward the castle; I am not caring about getting in trouble by the teachers right now.  
I hear a laugh that made me flinch.

“Oh, my dear Remus... ever since your father insulted me... I wanted to make him pay. Only now... this has nothing to do with him! I’ve watched you grow from afar, and you’ve developed into this sweet juicy little wolf, ripe for the picking!  
“A male bearer, who is also a werewolf, capable of bearing pups! You’ve come into your first heat, at last and I want to be the one to fuck you bloody and put my seed into your belly!”  
_“I don’t want you!”_

I hear something that sounded like a slap or punch, and a thud to the floor.  
“That is not how you speak to your Alpha!” the voice growls to the sobs.  
More movement, some of it from struggling and a cry out.  
“You’re mine, Remus!”  
_**“No!”**_

I don’t care who, or what, anymore, no one deserves this!  
My anger boiled over as I shoved the panel up and climbed up fast.  
The first thing I see was Lupin battered and bruised, clothing ripped, his lower end completely bare, displaying everything. He was also pinned, with his legs splayed; I can see the hand that was holding rather firmly on to Lupin’s cock and balls, as though to yank them up or whatever it was aiming to do.

The hand was attached to the one person, or rather, monster, I had heard about. He was large, very hairy, like he was a wolf in human form, sharp teeth and oh my fucking lord, the stench! Oh how I wanted to throw up!

He was completely naked and... I don’t care how much I like guys, this one is just plain disgusting!

“You’re a foolish one for coming in when the moon is mere minutes away from doing its job on transforming the human into the beast! Even more stupid for entering when there are two! Doubly so for when a mating is going to be performed... and for an alpha, or dominate, to claim his submissive, we are to stay attached for the entire night, until when two wolves get it on... I wouldn’t want to be standing within a mile!”

My wand was pointing at the intruder. I know who he was. Fenrir Greyback.  
Greyback squeezes and yanks on Lupin’s parts, causing Lupin to yelp, still trying to beat the him off of him.  
That is when I notice that his wand was way on the other side of where we were; meaning he would have been taken by surprise. I perhaps, he knew what was coming, but still got hoodwinked.

“You’re missing something,” I say.  
“What would that be?”  
_Think, Severus!_  
“He’s already spoken for!” the words slip from my mouth.

Greyback’s eyes turned steel. “By whom!” he flared, glaring at the boy on the floor under him. “_You’re still a virgin! So, **how** can you be spoken for?_”

“A submissive doesn’t have to have their virginity taken to be spoken for, Greyback, all it takes is for the dominate, or alpha as you call it, to place a simple bond of connection to the one he intends to call his submissive,” I say quickly. “Or, had you not caught the scent of another?”

The god awful reek of a man beast glowers at me for a moment, before looking at Lupin. He lowers his head toward my schoolmate and takes a big whiff, I could see Lupin just trying to imagine being elsewhere right now, having this fucker so close... and still not letting go of his cock and balls – like seriously?

But, it was enough for me to do a quick flick or two of the tip of my wand.  
Ropes dispelled on out and entrapped the larger, domineering male within, and a blinding charm.  
“_**You little fuck!” he raged.**_

Those ropes won’t hold him when he transforms, but I had the window of opportunity, as I see Lupin scrambling to away from the spot he had been held down.  
Quickly I go over and, without hesitation, reach down to help sit up just centimetres from the spot.  
Lupin at first wanted to shy away from me and my gesturing hand, almost flinching. So I kneel down.  
“You should go!” he whimpers. “We have four minutes to go... and... I’ll be fine...” 

I force him to look at me. His blue-green eyes flecked with amber, I could see the pupils were near about to dilate, but also something else... something I hadn’t seen until now.  
Oh, Lupin... 

“I am going to _**kill**_ you, you fuck! Then I am going to have my bitch!”  
“He’s not yours to claim!” I snap over my shoulder.  
“He’s a virgin! He’s ripe for fertilising! He’s not been claimed! I can smell -” 

I quickly leant over, without even warning the about to turn into werewolf Gryffindor boy, and sank my teeth right into the crook of his neck and shoulder, biting in hard, breaking flesh, tasting his blood as my tongue licked the area.  
Lupin was taken by surprise; cries in the sharpness, only slightly moan a little at the feel of my soothing tongue, he knew the deed was done. 

“_**NNNOOO!**_” screams the monstrous beast, which was now turning into a howl!  
Fuck!  
But, it mattered not; Greyback cannot claim what has already been claimed! 

Just as fast as I had laid my declaration over Lupin, I felt a light scratch against my side. I pull away and look down to see his nails, they were claws. But they didn’t fully penetrate and gouge at me, instead it looked like a cat had scratched me on my left side. I then look right at Lupin, his lips were trembling, but I could see... I could see... 

“You belong to me, Remus. Just as I, now, belong to you,” I say carefully.  
The moon beamed on in and next thing I knew, I was being swept to the ground and an almighty roar rang, nearly piercing my ears.  
I just managed to turn my head to see that Lupin, now fully changed into his werewolf form, was positioned over me, all of his limbs carefully positioned around me, growling lowly at the other werewolf, warning him. 

He no longer had the desire to attack me, his instinct was to protect me... protecting his mate.  
Just how much did they skip in documenting werewolves and their behaviour? I had to wonder. 

A sudden flash, causing my vision to form stars and shut them for a moment, came. When I was able to open my eyes I see both werewolves unconscious, and Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, as well as Madam Pomfrey, now standing in the room. 

“What in Merlin’s name possessed you to do something so dangerous and foolish?” McGonagall demands, her face so pale with fury, shock and, clearly, concern.  
“Call it a gut feeling,” I say, I wasn’t going to sulk and cower, not on this. “I saw Madam Pomfrey escorting Remus Lupin out through the Entrance Hall; I knew what was going to happen. But, something didn’t feel right, I don’t know how I knew, I just did! As much as I should have come straight to you with my concerns, I was worried that you would brush it off!  
“Thank Merlin I chose to go straight here! _That_” pointing right at the out cold Greyback “was going to rape Remus! I don’t know if anyone cares about what really happens to werewolves or not! But I wasn’t going to allow that monster to do what he was going to do to him!” I am now pointing at the werewolf that was Remus Lupin. 

You can tell the vast difference between the two. Greyback was a complete dark grey with shards of dark, bulky and still as gross. Lupin, on the other hand, was fairer in his fur, or hair, whatever it is, and he looked more wolf like than what Greyback did, and he clearly gave a crap about his appearance, even in this form. 

“Did you know he was a male bearer? Did you know that if Greyback had of carried out what he planned; he wouldn’t be able to come back to Hogwarts? He would have been dragged off once morning came and be made to do Lord knows what?  
“So, if I am being dangerous and foolish, it’s because I don’t like it when someone wants to force their way on to someone! Werewolf or not!” 

The memories of witnessing such things still haunt me, hearing her scream when he... I push that well out of my head, I can’t think of that right now. 

Dumbledore had gone to access, looking grim. “It was a good thing you did come along, Severus,” he says.  
He pauses at Remus’s side and then lowers to examine something, the bite mark upon the curve of his neck and shoulder. He straightens up and sees the side of my robes, where the scratch had occurred. I could have sworn I saw his lips pressing together and some slight hint of a different expression to what I am seeing now, but I could have imagined it. 

“Well, it was more than a good thing, as foolish as it may have been,” I hadn’t noticed Madam Pomfrey moving about until I heard her right next to me, examining the four thin lines within my skin, carefully moving the cloth of my robes to have a better look. “These will form into permanent scars, but you won’t turn werewolf. These are fealty scars, something a werewolf does when he is claimed by an alpha, or a dominate who is not werewolf.” 

“You _forced_ yourself on to Remus?” McGonagall accuses. 

“I did not!” I was horrified by that allegation, staying as still as I could so the Nurse could do what she had to do. “Didn’t you just hear my saying I don’t like anyone doing that sort of thing! Okay, I bit Lupin! That was to save him from being torn apart by _that guy_! So which of the two evils would you have preferred, Professor?” 

That shut the woman up!  
I may have a lot of respect for Professor McGonagall, but I did not appreciate her daring to go there.  
Even if Remus Lupin is now mine for the taking, I still wouldn’t force myself on to him. Even if he is in heat, ready for impregnation. A virgin yet to be broken. No, Lupin will open himself to me in his own time, as there will be no other, now the bond has started to take hold. 

“There isn’t much that can be done now, what’s done is done,” Madam Pomfrey speaks, and then turns to the two Professors. “For now, Mr Snape will have to stay here until tomorrow night.” 

“What? Why? Surely that’s too dangerous to do!” says McGonagall. 

Dumbledore shakes his head. “Quite the opposite, Minerva. The fealty scars upon Severus’s skin have marked him protected around Remus, even during the full moon. Plus, having to have made the first stage of the bond, it is crucial for dominate to stay close to their claimed mate for the next twenty-four hours.” 

I could see that the Deputy Headmistress didn’t like it, but even she knew how things worked when it came to these things. 

_ “In the meantime,” Dumbledore continues, flicking his wand at Greyback, causing him to levitate and float in the air, almost like a stringed puppet; “I am going to need assistance to get rid of this intruder.” _

“I would like to know how he managed to get in,” says McGonagall, staring at the creature with disgust and hate.  
“We’ll figure that out later, Minerva.”  
Dumbledore, with the now assistance from McGonagall, glided Greyback down the hole in the floor, leaving me with Madam Pomfrey and the still unconscious Lupin. 

“How long will he be out for?” I do ask. 

“He will wake in the morning, when he’s back in human form,” Pomfrey answered me. “I will send over some items you may require once I am back at the castle.”  
She had finished tending to my side, once done, uses her wand to make the place a little more comfortable, from fresh covers on the couches and I spy the bed in the next room with fresh sheets and blankets, even a fire in the hearth of the fireplace. 

__ Lupin was placed on to the couch, which had also been enlarged.  
“We will also make up something to help explain your absence.”  
Moments later, it was just Lupin and I.  
What the fuck did I get myself into? 


	2. The Next Morning

Chapter 2  
The Next Morning

_Remus’s POV:_

The side of my neck stang a little, not painful, just annoying. It was what woke me up. At least, I think it did. Whatever bruising Greyback had given me seemed to have subsided to where I couldn’t feel them.

I find myself on a couch, neatly made, the slowly changing sky outside, showing that dawn had broken.  
I sit up, finding that a blanket had been placed on me, for it slipped down into my lap. I was completely naked. Of course I was! But, how is it that nothing was broken?

But that wasn’t really the biggest thing that was plaguing me.  
All of yesterday I knew that I had come into what is known as heat, or ripe for fertilisation, or some other phrasing, better put, my body had finally succumbed to what I had known for a very long time, which is the ability to have children.

Why this was never removed when I became a werewolf, I do not know. But it worried me to no end when I learned what I was.  
Disturbingly, he knew! When he came into my room that night after my Dad said some words that offended him, he could smell it!

“I cannot _wait_ to have your hidden pussy!” he snarls, just before transforming and attacking me.  
I was terrified to scream when he came in, but I couldn’t keep them down when his teeth and claws sank into me, giving me my fate of being the werewolf I am today.

I don’t know how he came into knowing about my first heat, for that is when an alpha, or dominate, can make their claim upon a male bearer. It doesn’t have to be the first official heat, but once they start, it won’t take long before the next one would occur, until someone had finally made claim.

Pregnancy doesn’t always take place during the first time, even if “ripe for fertilisation”. But most of the time it does. But then... sex doesn’t have to happen, either, claimant can be as simple as biting the neck of the submissive, or male bearer. Not all male bearers are submissive! Some are either dominant, or somewhere in between.

I have no idea where I sit, as I haven’t really thought much about it. I was more scared of what Greyback would do to me, knowing that he would be waiting for this moment to happen and then do what he said he would do.  
He had taken me by surprise when I reached the shack, Madam Pomfrey escorted me, as usual, she knew I was in my first heat and assured me that all was going to be fine. She had no idea he was waiting for me, nor did I.

But, there I was pinned to the floor, with Greyback on top of me, gripping my penis and testicles way too tight it felt like he was going to rip them off, even telling me that I wouldn’t be needing them once he’s done with me, as it would make access much easier for him and... He doesn’t like his bitches having something that dangled in between their legs, unless it was himself fucking them from behind with his balls bouncing and pounding against them when he did.

Ever the charming fellow...  
He was very close to putting himself inside of me, I was struggling to stop it, and my wand had been smacked out of my grip from being caught out. I felt useless and... perhaps, maybe... I deserved this to happen.

I mean, who else would want a werewolf?  
Yet, that didn’t happen.  
He was stopped.  
I hadn’t expected him to show up.

Severus Snape said some words I wasn’t sure of; I was in between still trying to get the brute off of me, and in sheer pain from his vice grip.  
Next thing I know, Greyback was coming closer to me to smell me, especially between my legs, it was then when I realised what he was doing. He was seeing if there was claimant upon me, for every dominate leaves a slight trace of his, or her, scent to ward off anyone who might want to get their own stake in.

Ropes then tied him up, and Snape was suddenly next to me, forcing me to look at him for some reason that I wasn’t sure of, Greyback yelling and cursing and then my neck being bitten into by Snape!

Far out... it hurt... but after a few seconds, just as his tongue lapped over the area, it felt good, I could feel his magic seeping into me. I didn’t mean to, but my nails were upon his side and they sank into the material of his clothing and finding the flesh underneath, just as they turned into claws. Like some instinct, that I didn’t know about, took over and Severus said that I now belonged to him now, and he belonged to me.

I don’t think I had ever seen him so sincere, let alone giving a damn.  
It all happened in a flash after that mere moment, I saw Greyback breaking out of the ropes, he was still blinded, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him! I couldn’t let him hurt Severus!

_No!_  
That was when I lost consciousness. Now I am here, on this couch.  
From a good size hole in the window, but not big enough for me or any human to fit through, an owl flew it, followed by two more, all of them placing sacks upon the square dining table and then leaving.

I stood up, the blanket falling to the floor. I was far too used to being naked around this time and being by myself, I didn’t see much point in clothes, at least not until the full moon was over.

I did notice that Greyback was no longer here, which was a good thing.  
Maybe Snape managed to get help? Or make the werewolf self combust?  
Don’t think it would be the latter, or there would be one hell of a mess, even with thorough cleaning.

I go over to the dining table to undo one of the bundles.  
Mmm, breakfast is served!

“Never knew you had such a fine arse, Lupin,” I hear a voice, just as I picked up a buttered toast.

My heart did a back flip; I swear I practically leapt on the spot, hitting myself into the edge of the table, dropping my toast.  
Nice going, idiot! Bet you can’t do that again! I scold at myself, feeling my cheeks going warm, and a slight bruise going just above my hip where the edge got me.  
I turn to see him at the doorway, fully clothed, arms crossed, I don’t know if he was amused by what just happened, or concerned. It was hard to tell. Perhaps he was both.

“I... I... um...”  
Snape shakes his head. “I didn’t mean to startle you, Lupin.”  
“I just didn’t expect you to still be here,” I say, doing my best to not look at him and look at him at the same time.  
Why isn’t he coming over here and...?

“Do not think that because I claimed you, I am some overbearing fuckwit who wants to bone your hidden vag or arse, or whatever into next week,” Snape speaks as though he knew what I was thinking.  
“But, you’re my alpha,” I say, unsure whether it was even a good idea to try and cover myself, or stay as I am. I don’t know what I am meant to do.

Greyback would surely have had me completely bruised and bloody by the time he was done, and still would have fucked me again and again.  
But this isn’t Greyback, this is Snape.

I was also in the thought that no-one would claim a werewolf, except for another werewolf, and still unknowing where I stand in the world of sex and my position in it; so this has come way out of left field and all I can think of is to try and not piss my, I guess mate, off.

No sexual activity, yet I am Snape’s mate. I have the bite mark on my neck to prove it, and he... he has my claimant of fealty to him on his skin.  
Simple, yet just as effective as what Greyback would have done, which would have worked, but... I really don’t want to think about that.

“I shall refer to what I have said earlier; I am not some overbearing fuckwit, I will not force you to bend over for me, because if I did just that, it would make me a hypocrite to what I believe in,” Snape speaks, more firmly now. “You may be experiencing your first heat, but there will be others to follow, I know that we would need a full night of staying locked together when we do get to that final stage in bonding. Being that you are a virgin, I’d rather you be ready for that stage, without pressure or force. Something a lot do not consider much when taking on a male bearer and possible submissive.”

“I don’t even know if I am submissive. I haven’t even been kissed before,” I murmur, now not looking at him. Why did I just blurt that out?  
I heard his footsteps coming over, I wanted to hide, but where would I run to?  
“Remus, look at me,” I then hear his voice, now right in front of me.

Slowly I do so, now seeing his dark eyes. I was embarrassed by the statement, but instead of mocking me, Snape gently places a hand under my chin and leans in, until his lips were brushing against mine.  
The slight wet to dry feel of another person’s skin, the parting of our lips, tasting him, him tasting me.  
My first kiss and I don’t know how to describe it, other than this light tingling.

It was... _wow!_  
I didn’t want it to end.  
We parted just a little.

I was half expecting him to just suddenly walk away, insult me, something that was essentially the boy I once knew. Once thought I knew, what changed? For he didn’t do any of that, he just looks at me, studying me.

He had seen something inside my mind last night. A few times actually, but I was too elsewhere to know what it was he actually saw. I knew he was practicing Legilimency and Occlumency, and if rumours were true, he was very dominating in both fields, much anything else he puts his mind to, and knows he can succeed in.

“I do mean what I say,” he then says.  
“What would that be?” I ask.  
I then feel a single hand cupping my bum cheek, and holding it firmly, as he leaned forward again.  
“You do have a fine looking arse!”

###

_Severus’s POV:_

When Remus... yes Remus, his first name is Remus, and I do think it is prudent to say his name over his last don’t you think?

When Remus admitted to never being kissed, I wanted to act surprised, but just looking at him, bare butt naked, bruises from Greyback all died down, due to Madam Pomfrey placing some ointment potions on him, even though he was in wolf form, highly embarrassed, getting torn between wanting to run and hide and stay near the little dining table, I could see part of why I saw the things I had within his mind.

I didn’t pity him, no, because he’s worth more than that.  
I understood a little more as to why he lacked the backbone, and the times he tried to grow one. His friends, as much as they must value him, and helped him, didn’t truly help him certain other ways.

Why that was? I don’t know, something, I am sure will crop up over time, now we’re in this situation.  
But there was one thing I could do to get him sort of started in coming out of that shell.  
Kissing him was surprisingly intoxicating. I could feel his mind buzzing, body tingling, and him subconsciously wanting to please, to improve.

This was his first, and it was mine to take. I have been kissed before. I have had sex before. So this is not new to me. But, I still remember what it was like during all of my firsts; I wanted Remus to feel good during all of his.  
Touching the curve of his arse, the smooth surface of his skin, warm against my hand, I wanted to go further, place my other hand on the other arse cheek and really feel him.

But, I didn’t.  
I could see his cheeks going pink, uncertain of my compliment. He did look flattered, but this was how deep within himself. He had closed himself off as much as possible, yet had the appearance that all was fine and that he was this model person.

Flawed, given his past handlings on situations. But, I have seen him in class and about the grounds. He was a genuinely good person! Despite this curse he has once a month and the other stuff that he keeps stuffed down.  
Do his friends know?

Remus then did something I didn’t expect, his arms went around me and head on my shoulder; catching me by surprise, but only for a moment.  
I still do not expect things to escalate to the point of declaring undying love or anything, but whatever happens, Remus was mine, and mine to help and care for.  
My own arms moved to his back, where I rubbed his hand.  
“Come on, I think we could both benefit of having some breakfast.”

###

For most of that morning, we simply did our schoolwork, which had been sent via owl.

I know now how Remus had been able to keep up during these moments. Whilst no books were insight during his transformation, once he was as rested as possible, even if he was tired, he would be given some work to do, help keep him occupied, for I could see how it would get very boring, really quickly, in here.

He had put on some pants, I suspect it was because he wasn’t used to having company during these moments. Another theory was him not used to being naked around me, even if I did get a nice eyeful.  
I stole a few glances and stares, studying him, analysing.

I could feel myself wanting him. His skin, his lips... his...  
_Easy, Severus! Calm it!_

“Severus, may I ask you something?”  
I life my head up from my work and look at him from on the other side of the coffee table.  
“I think we’ve been silent long enough, so I suppose a little questions and answers won’t hurt,” I say. “What would you like to ask?”  
“Why did you come here last night?”

I had been waiting for that.  
“Some internal sense to not ignore that something wasn’t right and to follow that. Call it instinct; call it a premonition, whatever you like. I saw that you weren’t comfortable. I didn’t know you were experiencing your first heat, and it happened to fall into a full moon. At first I was trying to divert myself to other tasks, but knew that something was wrong. My feet followed me to here and... thank Merlin’s arse I had.”

The small surprise, yet gratefulness, was written on Remus’s face.  
“Thank you, Severus.”  
“Where were your friends?” I couldn’t help asking aloud.  
“I asked them to leave me alone this full moon. They... they don’t know that I’m... well that... and... with my first heat, it just wasn’t something I wanted them to be around,” Remus admits.

This was news to me. “You mean your friends don’t know that you’re a male bearer?”  
Remus shook his head, not looking at me again.  
“But, they know you’re a werewolf?”

“Because they figured it out, and instead of rejecting me they did what they could to help me on that. But this... I don’t know, I’ve heard how Sirius and Peter have talked about people like me, and what they would love to do, so I guess I just kept my mouth shut and did what I could to ensure they would find out,” Remus explains.

“What of Potter?”  
Remus shrugs. “He’s interested in girls.” He then realised what he just said. “Sorry, Severus. I didn’t mean.”  
He was very aware of my old friendship with Lily Evans, a love interest to Potter and seeming to have started agreeing to his calls to see each other. Also, painfully aware of that event.

“Don’t worry yourself too much about it, Remus. Lily was simply a friend. I do like females, but I also like males, perhaps more than females,” I say, not wanting to dwell on Lily, plus the fact I don’t think I needed to hide my preference to Remus anymore.

I have tries a few times to patch things up, but I gave up. If she wants to try again, I would be happy to, but I refuse to waste my time, now. I regret the words I’ve said, but I can only do so much.

“Guess, in a way, you got both,” I hear an attempt of a joke.  
“Indeed,” I say.  
I study the other across from me. His nervousness, his slightly slumped posture, debating internally, and possibly externally.

Remus Lupin, who hurt you so badly that you’re displaying in such a way? I wonder.  
I desperately wanted to know, but now was not the time, no, as I stand up go around the table and gently take him by the upper arm to coax him to stand, and then follow me to the bedroom.  
The homework can wait, this needed to be done.


	3. Little Discovery

Chapter 3  
Little Discovery

_Remus’s POV:_

I was led to where the bed was, not knowing what Severus was intending to do, but I guess it didn’t matter, what I wanted never really did.  
Not since my mother and father decided they couldn’t, or rather, didn’t want to cope with me and my freakishness anymore.  
Once I was lying upon my side, Severus joined me and faced me.  
His fingers started to trace my face, go through my hair and gently got me to do the same to him.

“I can see you’ve got so much to bring forth and reveal to me, Remus,” his voice tender, like a true alpha caring for his submissive. “I want to know who you are, and I want you to know who I am. Perhaps, this might help start that process of sharing parts that we’ve kept hidden from others.”  
I was still expecting the snarky to come through, to wake up, thinking this was perhaps my imagination.

Only, I could feel his slightly callused to smooth hands going over my skin and hair. I could feel my own going upon him as instructed. He was smooth to the touch, he may have a very slim appearance, but he was, to my revelation, well toned, healthy.  
He leaned pulls his own hand away to take mine, and guide it down, sliding his pants and jocks just enough for them both to fit through.

At first, I thought he wanted a hand job. I never gave one before, but I guess I’d have to do my best to please him.  
But he didn’t stop at his penis; he directed my hand a little more until my fingers felt...

“What?” I say in astonishment, looking down at where our hands were, and then up at Severus. “How?”

This seemed to amuse him a little, as he explained; “I was what you might call an early bloomer. But I was still a dominate, with a small side of submissiveness, but only when I was receiving in the arse. I have never allowed anyone near it, no matter how intimate I was with the other person, for none were worthy to sire with me, and I was still young. Anyone who tried were quickly disengaged and left regretting it.”

I could feel the slight wetness upon my fingers, along with the hairs upon his testicles, tickling against my hand.

“Not to mention being able to conceal it, enjoying how I was confusing the hell out of the other with my wet, having them believe it was simply pre-cum from my cock. Only a couple of times I’ve allowed it to be played with, but never the entire way, unless it was either my own self, or a sex phallus.”

“But, how have you not been claimed? Even a dominate male bearer gets claimed.”  
“But, I have been claimed, Remus,” he says, taking the hand away from mine to pull up the right side of his clothing, showing the scars now shimmering against his naturally pale skin. “By you.”  
I lower my gaze, and was about to pull my hand away from the area he had revealed to me, feeling guilty.

Severus stops me, grabbing my slipping hand, keeping it there.  
He moves much more closely, spreading his legs as much as his pants would allow, whispering in my ear.  
“Play, explore.”

My fingers and hand being coaxed and encouraged, slipping inside of his wet, the tightness around my finger, the sound coming from him.  
Our lips connecting into kisses, his leadings in getting me to enjoy this new experience, his own hand finding my penis and eased it along the length.

“Mmm, such a fine cock, I shall enjoy feeling you inside me, whichever tight you’d like to try first,” he purrs, as I was hardening even more.  
But the words, for whatever reason, had me stop all of a sudden.

Severus stops his own fondling and looks right at me, I could feel his dark eyes upon, I was now afraid that I pissed him off.  
“I wasn’t implying for it to happen now, Remus.”  
“I’m sorry! I just...”  
“Spit it out.”  
So many thoughts going through my mind, now.

“I am just scared!” I blurt out.  
Severus near forces me to look at him. “Scared?” he questions me. “Scared of what?”

Scared of being tossed aside and abandoned, I wanted to say. Scared of being hurt... like the way those who were meant to love me have hurt me... scared that if there was a slimmer of a chance of having a home, it would be closed off to me again.  
“Of not being good enough!” I say weakly. “I don’t know what I am doing.”

He could see that I was holding back, he wanted to probe into my head, but didn’t. Already, there were a building of respect and boundaries being put in place; even with us in the position we are in upon the bed.  
“Do you wish to stop?” he then asks.  
“Do you want me to stop?” I felt stupid asking.

We’re both sixteen, yet guess who is acting like he is much younger than the other? (Though he is older than me by 2 months and 1 day, found that out by accident, it feels more like years apart the way I was probably acting).  
Severus fully takes his hand away from privates, and gets me to move mine away from his. He doesn’t, however, move away from me. Instead just pulls in closer, until he was just holding me.

Who knew someone like Severus would be of such nature?

I wasn’t ready to speak; I don’t even know when I ever would be. I wanted to continue. I wanted to go there, not caring if it was only just hours from us connecting and our bond shaping. Darn, I would love for him to take my virginity away completely. I was still a little bewildered by his revealing in being a male bearer, too, though I had known of such types like Severus to exist, just wasn’t expecting one to stake his claim over me, and one who was practically broken in, yet unclaimed... until now.

How was he able to hide his heats?  
And how had be not become pregnant if he claimed to be an early bloomer?  
I know what he has told me, but... surely?  
My thoughts were dispersed out when I felt light kisses on my forehead, and just as light fingers going over me.  
I liked it. What he was doing to me. It was nice. I cannot remember the last time anyone has ever touched me, let alone embraced me the way Severus was right now.

My own mother could barely stand the sight of me after Greyback, yet she kept up the appearance of a loving, devoted parent toward her one and only child. Only ‘hugging’ me out of necessity, over wanting to, and still those were cold, prickly and would push me away the moment no-one was around.

Then there was my father. He did seem to care for me more than my mother had. Or, so I thought, with all the lessons he gave me in reading and writing and giving me the time I needed. But when certain changes started happening, and the revelation to what I was, things became strained.

I wasn’t a son anymore. I was a freak.  
Male bearers are supposedly valued, yet I felt none of that.  
I was an intruder in my own home the way I was spoken to, handled and, eventually, cast aside. No longer worthy.

My friends, they did what they could for me, without knowing the full truth. They just believed it was because I was a werewolf and that was that, they didn’t know how dire things were, for all they knew, I still had a home.  
Dumbledore only did so much for me, he knew what had happened, but told me that there was very little he could do. During the summer anyway. He made me the promise that he would find a solution to my problems and things would be better for all involved.

I am yet to see what that solution is, because I am still without a home. Not unless I call Hogwarts home, and that’s only part time. Even if I am claimed now, I couldn’t burden Severus.  
I don’t think I was even aware that I had started crying, because next thing I am feeling is Severus’s hands wiping away tears, and looking at me with this concerned expression, and one that wanted to fix it, too.

But my mouth stayed shut... just like I’ve been told to do for as long as I could remember. Keep my mouth shut, _just shut up!_ I internally scream at myelf. My being is not worth flies to a carcass, I am just an existence and a freak, and that I shall always remain to be.

If I dare speak up, my eyes close at those memories, more tears coming through. The yelling and the screaming, not all of these scars are from my own transformations during the full moon.

My friends have asked me, but I would tell them one thing or another, until they just stopped and accepted that I was just some klutz and a werewolf.  
“You don’t act like a klutz!” Sirius once pointed out upon many years of observing.  
But, I just wouldn’t talk. Who would believe me?  
No-one believes a freak like me!  
No-one would want me!

Severus only did what he did to save me from Greyback! That’s it! He’s only doing this, because it’s a requirement.  
He doesn’t really care!  
Why would he?  
I nearly had him killed for pity sake!  
It wasn’t because Sirius was being stupid. No, I just wasn’t careful enough to check to see if that trapdoor was secure! Or to make sure no-one was around.  
It wasn’t that was fully at fault. It was me! I am the one to blame!  
I’m... I’m...

“Shh, it’ll be okay, Remus...” I hear his voice soft and full of sincerity. “You don’t have to tell me, there will be time for that, like I have said before; just let those tears flow.”  
We stayed like this for a while. My tears had stopped, but we stayed.

It was Madam Pomfrey who found us. She didn’t seem to bother on the sight of slightly askew pants and firmly almost fully entwined arms and legs.  
Severus didn’t let go of me at first when he was told it was time for him to leave and head back to the castle.  
I convinced him to.

“I’ll... I’ll be okay,” I say.  
He wasn’t convinced, but it was enough.  
But when I was fully alone, all I could see were the shadows and monsters starting to creep on into my own mind... there they stayed, until the moon turned me into one, too.

###

_Severus’s POV:_

There was no doubt on just how much I wanted to fuck Remus. Push my cock into his tightness; stretch him out, knowing that I would be attached to him until the final stage of our bond was complete. His first time would be the first of many from me and me alone. I wanted to kiss him, finger fuck him and so many other things.

I could sense that wanted him to fuck me, too.  
But, I stand by what I say.  
He may be ripe for fertilisation. But he was still a virgin and very, very uncertain about himself!  
I could tell by his kisses, his touching, his fingers sliding inside of my wet walls, giving him a nice taste of what he could enjoy; now he was mine. He did enjoy parts of it.

Oh, how I remember his little sounds he made from surprise, perhaps a little more when he found out that I was exactly like him, only not as unsure of himself. I know I confused the shit out of him by revealing this, perhaps many a million of questions that went with it, the biggest one was one he did ask me.  
I was never claimed, because I never allowed myself to be.  
I’ve known for a very, very long time what I was and I refused to bow down to those who believed that I am some prize winning goat.

To those of the Muggle society, it would be known as intersex, or what the hell ever it is, but here, I am a male! I can have children like a woman, yippee-fucking-do! Yeah, I have what is known as a ‘hidden vag’ or whatever one liked to call it, but I am still a guy!  
Weird?  
Probably.  
But I wasn’t ashamed of what I was.

My mother, never mind our stupid situation we were in when I was growing up, made sure that no matter what, I had someone who cared!

The sperm donor, aka, my father, had no idea. But then, all that fucker seemed to care for was getting his welfare check and spending it on the bottle or some drug that I didn’t care to know the name of, and making a connection... with his fist... or... if he happened to feel that he wasn’t getting enough... he didn’t care if I was around, or not, he would still force Mum on to the table, the bed, wherever he could to pin her, force his way with her.

She once used to fight him, but that just made it worse, and perhaps just pushed him to get more and more violent, like he found some kink in it.  
It disgusted me to no end.

Perhaps part of that was why I sort sex the moment I came into my first heat at age twelve.  
I wasn’t lying to Remus when I said I was an early bloomer.

Most like us don’t usually start until between the ages fifteen and seventeen, so Remus was really in the ‘right age’ for being where he was with his transition right now. A late bloomer would be someone who didn’t come in until well after seventeen, the latest I have learned was twenty-two or twenty-three. Some don’t even come out at all until way, way later than that, those are rare, but it’s known to happen.

As for me, I wasn’t afraid to give into what I needed and wanted, but I knew that I wasn’t going to allow myself to be someone’s bitch.  
I don’t give a flying fuck!

I went straight to Madam Pomfrey to get whatever potions and spells I needed to help me with my heats, ensure no pregnancies happened and that I stayed safe.  
She wasn’t stupid, she knew what I was up to, hanging with some of the older students in quite locations about the school. It was sort of our nature to be a little promiscuous, at least until we’re completely spoken for, which I shut that section down whenever I knew my hidden vag would be filled – something a lot of male bearers are not taught, because it’s seen as something to be owned by another, not the person who happened to have it.

Some go as far as not just shutting it down, but sealing it up completely, which can be done, allowing the male to be completely ‘male’, having completely healthy children with whomever they happen to be with in later years.  
For me, I wasn’t ready for someone to have their cock, or even a makeshift one if my claimer happened to be a female, (and those do occur), inside of me for a full twelve hours to have me completely bonded to them.

Nope, I was a slut.  
But... it did help me out at times, especially whenever Potter and Black got a little too ambitious in their ‘Let’s get Snivellus’ routine. Allowing those few in the fifth, sixth and seventh years, and a couple of fourth years to have me, even for a few moments, had me protected to some degree. I was theirs.  
Did it get me a reputation?  
I wouldn’t know... I kind of obliviated most of them, or took their voice box, before they officially left the school. Plus I was already a little mini master in certain potions and creating spells of my own, so...

Most of that stopped when I reached my fifth year. Not that I hadn’t been tempted, and I had fallen into it a couple of times. It stopped because I felt like it was time to not fool around anymore, that I should find someone who’d be worthy to have me.  
I kept my routine of spells and potions up, for I knew what would happen if I let that slip. I have heard the way Black and Pettigrew speak the way Remus may have heard them talk, about people like me, amongst others about the school.

To Neanderthals like them, we’re playthings for their amusement.

My sperm donor, though Muggle, would have fitted into this category. Only, instead of torturing and raping me, he would have just killed me, torture was a possibility, if he knew what I was. What his wife was born from.  
Eileen Prince, my own mother, was born from a male bearer, who raised her on his own, until his unfortunate death, where she was forced to be wedded to the sperm donor, instead of the man she was intended for.

I do not know the full details of what had happened, but, I just know my Mother was no blood traitor. Not by her own will that was. No matter what others liked to believe. Had she truly have been, she wouldn’t have been able to keep the inheritance she had upon her maternal father’s death.

The inheritance she kept from my sperm donor. The inheritance that was passed, legally, to me upon my sixteenth birthday, because my Mother was able to make sure that no matter what happened to her; I was still with my birthright.

I don’t know who my Mother’s paternal father is, but it didn’t matter to me, I know my Mum was happy until the turn of events happened. But, she wouldn’t have had me, I guess. Her Severus.

Which made me wonder during our time together, especially on the bed, what had caused Remus to be so afraid? I saw the tears starting up, he didn’t do any ugly sobbing or any of that, we had just stopped fiddling around and I was just holding him, and then that happened.  
Quiet little rivers flowing from his eyes, down his cheeks.

I could see how he didn’t want me to leave, but he convinced me to just follow the Nurse’s instructions, so I did.  
But he was still so downtrodden...  
Merlin only knew what he was thinking or feeling right now, alone within that shack on the edge of Hogsmeade.  
I do not expect any love to happen. But, now he is mine, I want to be sure that he is okay.  
Being stuck here, on my bed, wasn’t helping me any.


	4. Small Details

Chapter 4  
Small Details

Remus’s POV:

“You look like shit!”  
“Nice to see you, too, Padfoot,” I mumble as I enter the room I shared with Sirius, James and Peter.  
The full moon was finally over, bonus was that it was a Saturday, so I could just flumped down upon my bed, head on my pillow, closing my eyes slightly.  
“I have to ask, though, what was Snape doing in the Shrieking Shack?” Peter pipes up.

My eyes bolted open at this.  
“Why do you want to know? I thought I requested for you to not accompany me this time.”  
“As if we were going to listen. You said you didn’t want us with you, said nothing about keeping an eye on you,” James speaks, polishing the handle on his broomstick. “Sirius wanted to charge in, but we saw some weird looking patronus shooting out and however long later, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pomfrey were coming out of the castle, so we figured something happened.”

He was talking about the first of the three nights.  
The night when...  
“Greyback was waiting for me in the Shack,” I say. “He... he was going to do things to me, Snape, which was a surprise to me, stopped him before he could. He was lucky he didn’t end up killed... or a werewolf himself.”

“Explains his absence from class the following day,” Sirius does say, with a small nod.  
I just let them believe that. I was safe; they didn’t need to know about me and my being in the first stage of my bonding to Severus Snape.  
“Pomfrey said some students had something contagious, though,” says Peter, making a face. “And that is not what I saw.”  
“What are you talking about, Wormtail?” I say, staring right at him.  
“We asked Wormy to check in on you during lunch that day, and we were told something rather unnerving,” said Sirius.

My ears pricked at this, as did my nerves.  
“You were spying me?” I exclaim.  
“You were on the bed with Snivellus!” Peter shouts at me, pointing right at me.  
“We wanted to charge in there and rip him off of you!” says Sirius, his face in a manner that was of disgust and disappointment. “He may have saved your life, Remus, but you didn’t need to let him touch you like... like that!”

“He didn’t force me, if that is what you’re implying!” I say, my insides starting to tighten, my nerves going up, feeling like a naughty little boy... why? What for? “I... we... we’ve been seeing each other for a while and... I didn’t say anything, because I knew you wouldn’t like it.”  
“How long have you been seeing him?” James asks, studying me from his spot in the room. Unlike Peter and Sirius, he didn’t have a face of disgust. Surprise, disappointed perhaps, but nothing compared to my other two friends.

“Since just before Hogwarts ended last year,” I lie. “We didn’t think it was anything, but when we got back here, it... sort of developed.”  
“You could have picked any bloke you liked, but you -”  
“_HE SAVED MY LIFE, SIRIUS!_” I shout. “Did you not hear when I said _Greyback_ was in the Shrieking Shack? Did you _NOT HEAR_ me say he was going to _**rape me**_! If it wasn’t for Severus, I would have been Greyback’s fuck toy! But all you could be bothered on was Severus being my source of comfort when I needed it!”

“Since when is having his hand down your pants a comfort? Or yours down his for that matter?” Peter speaks.  
“You didn’t hear anything did you?” I couldn’t help replying, afraid.  
“Only the sounds of moans that are not going to leave my brain any time soon.”

“Look, Moony, it’s great that he did help you, and whatever, and there was probably something you did find appealing in Snape, but, you can do a lot better, mate,” James says, he had stopped polishing his broomstick, looking solely at me. “I suggest that to make things easier on you, to think of calling it off.”  
“Why?” I ask. “Are you telling me for me, or for yourselves?”  
“We just want to do look out for you, and tell you what you probably don’t wish to hear. Break it off with Snape, you had your fun, we don’t care if you do like blokes, we just don’t want you with him.”

“But he helped me,” I say quietly.  
“Good for him! He has shown that he’s not a total idiot and has a conscience. But, you didn’t need to repay him by sleeping with him, and whatever fun you’ve had needs to stop,” says Sirius.  
I do not even know if he was speaking out concern for me, or disgust on the idea of Severus being with me, or me being with Severus. I could just see that he was looking at me with his blue eyes like I was a child.  
“And if I refuse?” I ask.  
“We will have to stop you,” said James. “We care about you, Remus.”

“If you truly cared about me, you would have noticed how bad things had gotten for me!” I blurt out. “_You’re_ not my parents! _So what_ if I like Severus! At least he stopped me from being _**violated**_! Some friends you are! _You don’t care about my nearly being raped!_ You just don’t like that you weren’t there to help, so you push your blame on somewhere else! _**Well get fucked**_!”  
I bolted right out of there.  
There was no way I could stay now.  
All I wanted to do was relax, but that happens!

I lied on how long I’ve been seeing Severus, but what does it matter?  
I was trying to protect him! He’s a male bearer, like me! Dominate or not!  
He also claimed me and I put my own claim on him, before I even knew he was the same as me.  
I wasn’t seeing where I was going, just following my feet. Finding some unused classroom, in some place within the castle, and retreating to the farthest corner. I buried my head into my drawn up knees, my hands at the back of my head.

How could my friends be like that?  
I told them what happened and they didn’t jump up in outrage, threatening to go and find the monster of a werewolf, instead they were more bothered by Severus and me being on a bed!  
“_Fuck you, Peter!_” I say out loud into my legs. “Fuck you, you little rat arse!”

“I take it that your dear pals have questioned you about being with me?” I hear him say.  
I lift my head, sliding my hands down a little as I do, to see Severus standing next to me, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.  
“They more than questioned me,” I reply. “I told them what happened and they focused on you instead.”  
Severus scoffs at this, shaking his head; “Friend is getting molested and close to being raped, accuse same friend of being some Juliet running off with their Romeo. How charming and delightful.”  
“You don’t sound surprised,” I stated.  
“That’s because they cornered me yesterday, hung me upside down and grilled me. I told them about Greyback, yet they thought I was making it up. Wanted to make it so I was the one who was violating you.”

I stare at him, my mouth must have been open, because he lowered his hand down to cup my chin and close it, before lowering the rest of himself to his knees.  
He continues to speak; “I am not going to be the one to tell you to stop being with them. They may very much care about you; I do not doubt that, I’ve seen from the interactions that they do. But, perhaps, it is time you really woke up and see certain people for who and what they are.  
“I mean, how they dare to dismiss what you’ve gone through? Spy on you? I don’t know how they pulled that off, but they know we were on the bed. As far as I am aware they don’t know about certain things.”

“I said we’ve been seeing each other in secret for a while! I didn’t want them to hurt you if they knew about us being bonded, and us both being bearers!” I blurt out.  
Severus looks at me, and then gives a thin smile. “I take it they weren’t too pleased with that answer.”  
“They didn’t ask you the same thing?”  
“Nuh! They demanded what I was doing with you and to stay the fuck away from you,” Severus answered. “Guess our secret was finally let of the bag, and we did a very good job in keeping it all hidden and everything for the past... how long have we been seeing each other?”

“I said that we started something just before school broke up, only to not think of it much until we got back,” I tell him.  
“So unofficially near on three or something months, officially for a month and half?” he calculates, and appearing rather impressed. “We must be taking it rather slowly then?”  
I wasn’t sure what he meant, my face gave out as much.  
“Meaning we haven’t gotten to all the way,” Severus clarifies for me.  
“Oh,” I now look away from him. “Sorry.”

“Why? We’re just waiting for the right moment, isn’t that the whole point of our taking it slow and steady and within the shadowed corners?”  
“I guess.”  
Severus leans in, and presses a kiss against my forehead, before turning to my lips, which I do not deny. Our kisses feel as though they were starting to heat up.  
“Tell me something about you,” he then requests.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well, if we’ve been together as long as we have, we’ve been bound to learn a few secrets about each other by now, don’t you think?” he softly nips my earlobe.

“I...” it took me a few seconds to think of what to say. “I don’t like mushy peas!”  
Severus now focusing on the area he bit into, gently sucking on it, but heard me. “A small detail, but it’s something. Why don’t you like mushy peas?”  
“Because they look like boogers and taste like I want to gag,” I answer.  
He looks at me, before laughing, a real laugh. “I don’t know if I am going to look at mushy peas the same way again after that.”  
“Do you like mushy peas?”  
“I do, especially if it’s in a mushy pea and meat pie.”  
“Ugh! Pass! I’ll take the ordinary beef, bonus if it’s angus beef,” I return.  
“Curry chicken is my preferred, but like mentioned, I won’t pass up a mushy pea and beef,” Severus says. “But, upon the subject of mushy vegetables, dare to put mashed pumpkin in front of it. I won’t so much gag, but I will through it at the offender who dared to give it to me.”  
“Yeah, I am not keen on mashed pumpkin, either,” I agree.

We kiss once more.  
“But, they’re great when they’re roasted,” I couldn’t help blurting.  
“Have you tried it when they’re honey glazed roasted?”  
I shake my head.  
“Honey glazed roasted pumpkin and carrots are delicious, when you get the chance, trust me, you’ll never want to go back after it.”  
“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Mmm, what of what you do like? Favourite food, since you gave one of your least favoured, perhaps?”  
“Chocolate,” I say without thinking. “I have a really bad sweet tooth, and chocolate is the main one.”  
Severus leans right on in and we’re kissing again. “I’m more of a savoury tooth, but I will agree on the chocolate part.”  
“Do you have a particular favourite of chocolate?” I ask.  
“Dark chocolate, because of the slightly more bitterness to it, double if it has cherries, orange or mint, especially mint, can’t get enough of chocolate mint, even if it’s milk chocolate, the mint makes it worth the enjoyment,” Severus had this expression as though he was just able to taste this minty chocolate right now. “Do you have a favourite style of chocolate, yourself?”  
“For me chocolate is chocolate, dark, milk, white, but if it has macadamia nuts or almonds, they’re likely to go first. Or honeycomb.”

“Okay, most important question of to ask,” Severus then says.  
“What would that be?”  
I must have looked anxious, because he soothed me with kisses and held me close. How does he know what to do?  
“I just would like to know?”  
“Know what?” I ask.  
“Cats or dog?”  
I stare at him; I was expecting some other question, something that was deeper and painful. I had to laugh, which got him smiling.

“Well?”  
“I like both,” I reply. “More than just cats and dogs, I’ve always dreamt of having a little farm or zoo when smaller, as animals were my only friends growing me, until I came here. But, even when making friends, I’ve always felt more comfortable with animals over people.”  
“Did you have any pets growing up?”  
“I don’t know if you would call a carrion crow you rescued when still a small chick and nursed it to health a pet. Or a red squirrel,” I reply.  
“A crow and a squirrel?”  
“Two of the many animals I’ve helped, or tried to help, until my parents find them and...”  
“Send them back to the wild?” Severus assumes.

I shake my head, no longer looking at him. “No, they put them down, and scold me for daring to help and love another creature, when I am not worth the dirt on the ground and I am not worth loving.”  
My mouth then shut completely at this and I dared not to look at Severus when I realised what I just confessed.  
I could feel him looking intently at me, I don’t know what sort of expression he was giving me, but I could sense the astonishment.  
“Your own parents told you that?” I hear him ask. “Do... do they know? Your...?”

I shake my head. “No. I have tried to tell them in so many ways, but they're not listening to me. They knew I have had troubles with home and my parents, but they seem to ignore the extent. They don’t know that the letters I get are letters to myself, because they didn't listen to me saying I don't have parents, so I gave up trying, so started the letters, so they would believe what they wanted to. They don’t know that I was unofficially disowned at eleven, and at twelve I was without a home, returning from Hogwarts, discovering they weren’t waiting for me, and when I got to the doorstep after lugging everything on my own, there was no-one there. There was a ‘for sale’ sign and nothing in the house.  
“I spent that night in the shed, and after that, I don’t know... I’ve been on and off the streets. The only times I wasn’t on the streets was when I was with either James or Peter. Dumbledore wouldn’t allow me to stay at Hogwarts, and would only pay for a certain amount of days in the Leaky Cauldron, so I could get what I needed for school, after that... I just... lived as best as I could.  
“On the full moons, I would make sure that I wasn’t going to hurt people, how that was managed, I can’t remember.”

“Then that settles it, you’re moving in with me.”  
“But, we only just -”  
“We’ve been seeing each other for a good while, Remus, and there is no way I am letting you be without a roof over your head!” Severus reminded me of what I had decided to ‘reveal’ to my friends about him and I.  
We both know the truth, but what did it matter?  
“And Remus,” he goes on to say, getting me to look at him. “You are worth loving, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sad fact, I did have the Marauders not be morons in the original thinking of this fiction, but as I kept writing this chapter (and the following) it went way off to somewhere else.
> 
> I guess we found the not so thoughtful Dumbledore after all :-/


	5. I have your back, now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Severus is probably a little out of character._

Chapter 5  
I have your back, now

Severus’s POV:

When Remus told me of not just what his ‘friends’ told him to do when they ‘found out’ about us, but also of him being without a home, for whatever reasons he hadn’t disclosed, except being told he wasn’t worth anything and didn’t deserve love, and flat out abandon him without saying a word, I was knocked for six.  
_What the actual fuck?_

Are these parents of his that completely fucked in the head to ever do that to their own son?  
Okay, I grew up with a shitty father, but fuck! I still had my Mum! Without her, I don’t know how I would have been.  
How can his friends not know about his life?  
They figured out that he was a werewolf, yet not this?  
They were willing to spy, yet they were hadn’t bothered to listen to him on what his life was actually like?  
Or perhaps they just wanted to believe that everything was all fine and dandy with their quiet, smart and thoughtful friend?

We just bonded a few days ago and already I learn of this from him.  
Nope! Nope! There was no question in my mind after that!  
Whatever past shit that’s happened between us, doesn’t matter now.  
He placed his head on my shoulder when I said that he was worth being loved.

Amazing what happens after a few hours to a few days. A week ago, you wouldn’t have paid me to say two words to Remus Lupin, unless I had to, but now, I have my arm around him, comforting him, consoling him, and offered my home to him, so he had a place.  
I was stunned on how little Professor Dumbledore had done all these years since Remus found out he no longer had a home, or parents!  
Here was a boy in dire need and this is the treatment he gets?

Why?  
Whatever for?  
I get that Hogwarts shuts down for the summer. But do they not care about what happens to their students outside of the school year?  
Makes me wonder what it is like for others in similar situations as Remus.  
Unfortunately, I cannot dwell on everyone. Not because I don’t care, I do, so anyone who believes I am this heartless shit of a person can shove it; it’s more that I can only do so much and the person who was my mate is sort of my responsibility now.

###

For the next number of weeks, Remus and I did quietly meet up in private areas about the castle and grounds.  
Learning more and more about the other; what we liked and disliked; goals and the biggest one, how we grew up.  
Not all our get togethers had us kissing and fondling, I may enjoy sex and the like, but not everything was about getting into one another’s pants.

What tended to ruin the moments and trying to have those alone times were Remus’s so-called overly concerned buddies. Remus told me of the map they made, and we’ve dodged the wretched thing, by deliberately going to areas that were would take them ages to find us. The other is late night rendezvous to the Shrieking Shack.

Yet, whenever we were found, or caught trying to sneak off to be together, his buddies were always finding ways on getting us away from each other. None of them ever really knowing that we were mates and progressing in our bonding to where it will eventually move to my connecting with Remus in full.  
He hadn’t gotten that far with me, either, but we were both waiting for the potions to come out of my system so we can do it properly. I may not be a virgin, but I’ve been controlling that sector about me, where I cannot be truly claimed, until the magic awakens to do so.

“What are you doing with him?”  
My eyes dart to the door where I see Potter, Black and Pettigrew marching on in, looking like they were ready to pick a fight. Well, Black and, maybe, Potter, Pettigrew was standing back like he always did, unless encouraged to join in.  
Remus and I were in an empty classroom, near the farthest corner - a habit we had taken up since our first time in getting together in a classroom, only we weren't so close to the Gryffindor Tower here, being on the third floor. My arms were around him; he had just received an owl this morning and decided to read it in privacy. He had been hoping beyond hope that his parents have been located in order to contact with them in some way.

The owl didn’t come bearing any good news for him.  
The letter and a restraining order all crumbled in his clutched hands, his shoulders shaking from the sobbing from his breakdown.  
“What does it look like, Black?” I answer. “I saw that Remus was upset, so I decided to step in and help.”  
“Why should it matter to you?” Black demands, arms crossed.  
“I am pretty sure you got your answer from Remus himself a little earlier,” I gave no iota of emotion in my reply, except quietly pissed off and very concerned.

“About you pretending to be his boyfriend?” Potter slowly asks. “Is this some sort of revenge for my going with Lily?”  
“Lily was my friend, Potter, not a love interest,” I say coolly and actual disbelief he would even go there. “And if I wanted to do some sort of revenge thing, I wouldn’t be using Remus to do so. No, I care about Remus, perhaps a little more than you do.”  
“What? How dare you!” Black raged, flexing his hands into knuckles.  
“Remus is our friend!” Potter speaks outraged.  
“We care about him!” Pettigrew trails in.

Remus had his head lowered, gazing at some spot on the floor. “Yet, you didn’t care about Greyback being in the shack with me well over a month. You didn’t bother to ask if I was okay when I told you what had happened. You didn’t care to ask how things really were in my life, with my parents and home, you never asked, you just assumed and whenever I try and speak up, it’s brushed aside.”

He looks at his friends, continuing on, as I witnessed this all starting to unravel.

“Yet, when someone other than you three shows interest in getting to know me, and this isn’t just about Severus, it’s been with anyone and everyone, escalating after you found out about my furry little problem, and in all of that, you do this. Like, I do not have the right to be with anyone outside of you.  
“At first it was flattering, believing that you were my friends, that you really did care about me and showing me what my own parents could not. Yet, as time went on, I felt that I was not deserving of anyone, the same way my parents had done, just... differently.”

“Where is all this coming from?” Black questions, then points at me. “He’s been filling your head with crap, hasn’t he?”  
My brows go up.  
“So, you know where Remus actually lives, do you?” I ask him, and the other two.

“Of course, he lives in London,” Pettigrew answers.  
“I used to live in Basingstoke,” Remus says, lowering his head again.  
“Do you know if he lives in a house? Or a flat? Have you been to his home?” I go on.  
This caused discomfort between the three standing there, looking down at us.

“We’ve always had him at my place, or at Peter’s,” Potter says, frowning a little. “But he always only stayed for a week.”  
“Because that is all you allowed me to stay for,” Remus says.  
“Because you had a home to go back to.”  
“I told you about losing my house,” Remus tried.

“Yeah, but not your parents!”  
“I did tell you!”  
“But, you got letters!”  
“In my own handwriting?”

“Have you bothered to ask how his folks were? Or why he was always looking as though he hadn’t eaten in a month whenever he arrives back at school? Or did you just put it down as him being a werewolf thing?” I keep pressing.  
“Hey! How dare you think you can question us like you are about our friend?” Black snips. “He knows we care! That’s why we want to make sure he’s not making the stupidest mistake in being with you!”  
“Yet, once again, you are not listening to your friend,” I say, my own arm hadn’t moved away from around Remus’s back and shoulders.  
I was far from impressed. Granted, my friends weren’t perfect, but fuck! They weren’t daft like these three were.  
“Of course we are!” says Black.  
“Then what has he told you?”  
“That you’re telling him what all sorts of crap to get him to lie to us, because he still has his parents and -”

“_I HAVE NO PARENTS! I HAVE NO HOME! I HAVEN’T HAD THOSE THINGS IN FOUR YEARS! LESS IF YOU COUNT WHEN MY OWN PARENTS WOULD LOCK ME IN THE SHED OR BASEMENT EVERYDAY SINCE I WAS EIGHT!_” Remus screamed; “_AND THIS!_” holding the scrunched and crumbled parchments up “_THIS IS THEM TELLING ME TO NEVER TRY AND FIND THEM AGAIN! OR THEY WILL HAVE ME CHARGED WITH STALKING AND HARASSMENT! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE THEIR SON AND THEY HAVE OFFICIALLY CAST ME OUT! THE MINUTE THEY HEARD I COULD GO TO HOGWARTS WAS THE MOMENT THEY COULDN’T WAIT TO GET RID OF ME!_  
“_A FREAK AND A MONSTER! WRITTEN RIGHT HERE!_  
“_BUT ALL YOU NEVER BOTHERED TO REALLY SEE AND LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU. SEEMING TO ONLY BELIEVE THAT IT’S MADE UP! LIKE YOU HAVE THE MOMENT I ASKED FOR YOUR HELP WHEN I FIRST FOUND OUT I WAS WITHOUT A HOME AT AGE TWELVE!_”

I had already been told of all of this, not just when he first told me, but more details of his life came through over time. As it probably does in a relationship build up. I had learned about him trying to locate his parents, I had even helped him, until we found five possible leads and used them, since Remus still would have needed a parent or guardian for Hogsmeade visits, so someone had to have kept in contact, without keeping in contact with Remus directly. It was a theory, anyway.

We had found them, they did send an owl before this one, telling Remus to discontinue, but he wanted to try again... only for this to happen. They signed the restraining, the declaration of disownment and whatever else was in that very thick envelope!

“But you never actually told us, Remus!” Potter said with surprise.  
Remus looks right at him, hurt within his blue-green eyes; “_I have_, James! On a number of occasions, in many ways I could think of that would get the messages through to you, and without having it accidentally spread throughout the school. But you always passed it off as me being a werewolf, and that everything was okay with me. _All_ of you have.”  
“We didn’t believe that you were actually being serious about your Mum and Dad leaving you out in the cold, we thought you were just joking,” Potter says.

“Bit like how you thought he was joking about Greyback?” I dare take a stab.  
This got all three of them cringing.  
Not one of them thought Remus was telling the truth about the horrible infamous werewolf, apparently trying to tell him that he was making the excuses to why I was there the entire night! Implying some weird arse kinky sex had happened and he was just embarrassed to admit it.  
_Like come on!_

I don’t have a problem with people having kinks, but to dare dismiss something as serious as rape? Even an attempted rape?  
Did they well and truly believe that it only happened to the females?  
Do they forget that if a male bearer is found out, he has just as high of a chance of being raped, too?  
I was one of the lucky ones. Remus even more so!

Plus my knowing what Peter and Sirius are like in the mindset with people like me, which is perhaps why Remus hadn’t come out to them. Protecting me, protecting himself. It wouldn’t have mattered if we didn’t become mates, once a male bearer finds out about another, like them or not, we have a quiet mutual agreement to have the other’s backs.

I saw just how the realisation of what had been happening with Remus, and their many opportune moments to help him, but didn’t, starting to sink into Black, Pettigrew and Potter.  
“Remus -” Black goes to say.  
“Just leave me alone,” Remus tells them, putting his head on my shoulder, not wanting to look at them.  
“You can’t seriously be telling us to leave you alone, with him, who -”  
Remus sat straight up and threw one of his books from his bag at Black, narrowly missing him.  
“_**I said, leave me alone!**_”

“You heard the man,” my own eyes piercing at them, I could see what they were thinking and wanting to do. I didn’t need to look at them right in the eye, or be that close to them. No Legilimency here.  
One at a time, each one giving me the filthiest of looks, however, turned and left us alone, as Remus replaced his head against my shoulder, and my own arms held him firmly.  
“No matter what happens, Remus, I will always have your back, now,” I say. “And, I also mean what I said before about you moving in with me.”


	6. Flash Insight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning - Not so nice scenes ahead **

Chapter 6  
Flash Insight

_Remus’s POV:_

While I knew I had spoken up to James, Sirius and Peter, it didn’t fully help my situation after that.  
It took until the bell had gone for Severus and I to leave that classroom; Severus opting to stay with me until then.  
I chose not to sit with my friends during class, which extended on to being that way for the next number of days. I knew they thought I had wronged them somehow, or they were still trying to come up and really apologise to me, I don’t know.

This didn’t go unnoticed, however, nor did sightings of me and Severus together... because someone had let slip that we were seeing each other. I know it was one of my so called friends, by now they were ‘so called’, as I had no idea anymore.  
By the fourteenth day, something felt really off.

“I didn’t feel safe in the dorm when I woke up this morning,” I tell Severus.  
“In what way?” he asks me.  
“Like a sixth sense?” I guessed.

We were in a quiet location, near the edge of the Forbidden Forest; it was one of the areas Severus had discovered as a good hiding spot in his first year. Whether others have found it, or not, we weren’t sure... but it was one of the areas the map couldn’t correctly pin-point us on, like we were somewhat invisible, so we chose here for most of our frequent get together, at least during the day, the other location was the Room of Requirements – if we were able to access it.

Severus was leaning against the trunk of the tree that helped act as a shield and canopy, protecting us from being seen, but also from the elements, as it had been snowing of late, along with the skirt of bushes that made up the rest of the ‘bat cave’, which is what Severus nicknamed it, after his liking toward Batman since he could even remember.

He had coaxed me to straddle him. Okay, he didn’t need to really coax me, it was a gentle suggestion, his way to help me find comfort in such a position, kind of preparing for when we’re to fully connect and bond when I am next into my heat. He wasn’t too far off being fully clean of the contraception potions and spells, either, I could sense it, for he did offer to be the one to be penetrated, instead of myself, if I wasn’t yet ready to be. Turning out it didn’t really matter when two male bearers found each other and bonded, because there will always be one who is more dominate than the other, so I have been learning.

I also have to admit, I liked this closeness; perhaps, because it wasn’t forced. Everything was done with consent, and with no strings attached, just wanting my trust.  
“How are you feeling internally?”  
I was perplexed to what he meant.  
“Are you starting to feel certain yearnings? Or hesitant about being around certain people, not all of them, but like a sense whether they’re safe to be around, or the need to be extra cautious?”  
Severus was speaking in a knowing voice, his hand holding mine, the other resting on my thigh.  
I nod.

“Your sixth sense, as you called it, is the indicator that you’re not too far off from your next heat. That sixth sense goes on hyper drive, you might have had it before your first, only may not have been sure what it was at the time,” he explains.  
I thought on this. “But... I’ve felt it well before that. Only, I didn’t know what it was.”  
“We are all with the hypersensitive feel, its very underlining, at least until our heats begin, then they punch through days out of the next heat. There is a possibility that you might not have known, because of various circumstances. You would not be the only one to have misunderstood their own senses, or pushed them down, though they were always there.”

My mind went over certain events in my past, including anything that involved Peter, Sirius and James, and how I was uncomfortable with how they sometimes acted, or even spoke. Yet, I squashed this down, believing that I was making it up, trying to sabotage friendships, my desire and want for them winning out every time.  
And then this happened, where I stood up to my ‘friends’ and it all changed.

I could feel their eyes on me, I could sense they were conspiring something, and it wouldn’t be good if they carried it out; whatever it was.  
It had been building for the past few days, and today had really hit the pit of the stomach and I don’t know what to do.  
“I’m... I’m scared, Severus,” I then say.

The hand that was on my thigh was now resting on the back of my neck, partly cupping my ear.  
“Speak to McGonagall,” Severus tells me.  
“I don’t want to be a hassle.”  
Severus shakes his head a little. “Come here,” he pulls me in, until my head was on his shoulder, arms around me. “You deserve to be safe, like everyone else. Speak to the Deputy Headmistress, if you need me with you, I will be. You’re worthy of more than you are realising right now, and I want you to know that. If you are not feeling safe, speak up!”  
“Have you ever felt unsafe before?”

I hear a small scoff like laugh, but not at my question, more on his own memory, as he did reply; “I had a shit arse sperm donor for a father, who liked to beat the crap out of my Mum and I. I am also in a House that is gathering little wannabe Death Eaters, some of which are wanting me to join because of my interest and high skills in Dark Arts and Potions, thinking because of those things, I must be wanting to follow this fuckwit they’re calling Voldemort; which to me sounds like some new way of saying Mouldy Shorts, or a gross cheese!”

I half-heartedly laughed at the last sentence.

“And being what I am, I have hexed a few would be dunderheads, who’ve tried to take advantage of my promiscuity and claim me, wanting to tame my wiles for their own enjoyment, forgetting that once upon a time we were free to be open and engage in whatever we liked, before we willed ourselves to be claimed, instead of forced to be, when greed happened and the want to control happened.

“We’re still a protected people, Remus, many want to forget we are, turning a blind eye, thinking that if we delve into our nature, we deserved to be raped and forced into the positions of abuse and forced pregnancies. We’re seen the same way women are, because they deem us to be the same as them, forgetting we’re just as capable of siring children, as well as conceiving and birthing them.

“It is our choice whether we wish to be seen as males... or for some, females, where they choose to lose their cock and balls in favour for the vagina, even allowing for breasts to form, others who want to be solely male, seal their hidden vag and go on to wanting to only sire, instead. We just need to remind people of that when they find out that we still very much exist, and that we are not in favour of being taken for granted.

“Please take my advice and speak to Professor McGonagall. I’d love to say Professor Dumbledore, but I can’t trust him as far as I can throw.”  
“I will,” I promise.  
He kisses me firmly on the lips. “It’ll be okay, Remus.”

###

_Severus’s POV:_

What Remus had told me disturbed me. I checked on him as much as I could for the rest of the day, I even went with him to make sure he did speak to McGonagall.

The Deputy Headmistress assured and promised to keep an eye on things and take certain steps to intervene when she had to. She had told us that she had been insisting that the Headmaster allow us to leave the school early, as it was almost the winter holidays, but it was more a step to getting us transferred to a different school, or just location all together.  
It seems that Dumbledore, for whatever reason is not doing much.

My gut told me not to let Remus go back the Gryffindor Tower, but we didn’t know how we were going to be able to bend against the rules. I know we have our little secret meetings, but we plan those and not often, because we do like to make sure we’re not caught, even with our situation of being mates and bond building.  
So, as much I didn’t want to leave him, I had to.

I couldn’t concentrate on my homework, as much as I wanted to distract myself.  
My hands went to the sides of my head when I saw it flashing across my eyes, like I seeing from a different set of eyes, and the sounds of distress.  
_**Remus!**_

I see Black, naked, pumping himself, before placing himself above my... Remus’s head... I could feel what Remus was feeling... someone else was sticking fingers up his opening and a tongue...  
I felt myself squirm at this. Not out of pleasure, out of violation.  
That flash was enough, I ran as fast as I could to Professor McGonagall’s office, just as she was entering it.  
“Professor!” I shout, not intending to. “Remus -”

“I know, I had the dorm charm wired to detect anything that is against the rules, even the law,” she says, the adds. “I am not going to stop you from coming with me, I’ll let you in the Tower, Remus is going to need his mate, that being you.”  
I wasn’t going to be told twice, though it did surprise me a little.  
We entered her office, where we used the fireplace; she held my wrist so I was able to get through with her.

“Professor McGonagall!” I hear one of the Gryffindors.  
“What is Severus doing here?” I hear Lily.  
“He’s a Slytherin!” another shouts.

But McGonagall powered on to the direction of the stairs that would lead the boys’ dorm, I was close behind, until we got up the stairs, where I see the door to the sixth year boys room ajar and Potter standing there.  
Before Potter could even utter a single word, McGonagall pushed through.  
I didn’t hesitate to follow.  
What I walked into bought back certain memories I suppress as much as possible.

Remus was pinned on one of the beds, with Black still over his head, forcing his dick into his mouth, helping Pettigrew hold the legs open, with Pettigrew’s fingers inserted into Remus, both were being rough with the cock and balls.  
McGonagall’s wand was out, Black and Pettigrew were blasted off, (done so there wasn’t any more harm done to Remus), while I rushed over to help Remus out of the freeze charm they had him under, and sit him up, wrapping him up with whatever I was able to grab, and held him.

I do not believe I have seen Professor McGonagall look as livid as she did now, her piercing eyes upon the three offenders; Black and Pettigrew were on the floor, bound on the spot, Potter wasn’t on the floor, staying where he was by the door.  
Remus was sobbing. “They stole our medical files and wanted to teach me a lesson, before making an example out of you... forcing me to watch.”  
My hand rubbed against his back, shifting the cloak around him tighter.

“I’m scared that our bond may be broken!”  
“No, Remus,” I say. “You’re still my mate; if our bond had been broken, I wouldn’t have seen what was happening through you. Only a genuine pairing can create such a link.”

“_You three of you will be following me_,” McGonagall’s furious tone spoke to Potter, Pettigrew and Black. “_**Never**_ did I want to believe that you would dare go so far in such a despicable act! I wish I hadn’t allowed the Headmaster to overrule me in having Remus away from here for the night when he expressed how unsafe he felt. I also wish I knew why certain charms were tampered with when I set them up in here to alert me sooner of what you three were intending to do, and carried out in doing.”

“I didn’t do anything, Professor!” Potter tried.  
“_No!_ _**You**_ _chose to allow your best buddy and the sheep to have their fun, while_ _**you**_ _stood and watched!_ _Keeping an eye out for anyone you might disturb you!_” I spat. “_**Had**_ you really read the files, _**you**_ would have also _learned_ that Remus is _**my mate**_! _Meaning_ that _he_ isn’t to be _**violated**_, unless you want to face serious charges and punishments, and I would be the one who might be allowed to choose what actually happens to _**you!**_”__

_ _ I then remembered myself.  
“Apologies, Professor,” I say to the Deputy Headmistress as respectfully as I could muster under my anger and worry._ _

_ _ McGonagall shook her head. “Quite alright, Mr Snape, though you are correct in knowing the legalities of male bearers and the laws that surround them and their protection.”_ _

__ _ “You cannot be serious! He can’t be able to choose what happens!” Potter tried again to defend, looking to be in denial that something serious had happened.  
“Mr Snape is every bit correct,” speaks the Professor. “But right now,” she flicks her wand at Black and Pettigrew, forcing them into clothing, deliberately making sure that evidence of what they had done was showing; “We’re taking a trip to the Headmaster’s Office!”  
“What about them?” Pettigrew had the nerve to ask, looking at Remus and me._

__ _ “They will be staying here, I am sealing this area off, only Madam Pomfrey will be able to enter, as I will be sending word to her to examine and help Mr Lupin,” she answers coolly. “Let us hope you two didn’t damage anything, you’ve already affected him enough with your disgusting act.”  
She forces them out the door in front of her, and assures us that no-one will be able to disturb us; shutting the door completely to ensure this.  
Remus looks at me with this look of confusion and alarm._

__ _ “D-damage?”_  
I kiss him on the forehead and gently explain; “There is a part inside of you that holds me in place during the final stage of our bonding, and helps guide my every ejaculation I produce inside of you to higher the chances of conception.”  
He was about to move his eyes downward, another tear rolling.  
“I’m sorry, I tried to stop them!”  
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Remus,” I say firmly. “They are the ones to blame, not you.”  
“But -” 

_ _ I stop him before he could utter another word, placing my two fingers on his lips, before moving in and brushing those very same lips with my own. At first, I thought he was going to flinch away, after the ordeal had been through, perhaps thinking I wouldn’t want to kiss them after the fucking dog shoved his nasties past them, but he did respond with a tiny pucker, appreciating my gesture._ _

__ _ When the door opened, we see Madam Pomfrey entering on in, with a bag of what she needed within.  
“I’ll be as gentle as possible, Mr Lupin,” she tells him kindly. “As I am going to need to be a little invasive with this particular case, which I apologise for.”  
“I’m not going to leave you, Remus,” I assure._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you try and avoid writing particular scenes, only to find their way through your finger tips, on to the keyboard and into the story.


	7. Plans to be made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madam Pomfrey examines Remus.
> 
> Severus and Remus start to make certain plans that will chance the course of their lives.

Chapter 7  
Plans to be made

_Remus’s POV:_

I clung firmly to Severus’s upper arm and hands with my own hands, as I clenched my eyes shut, feeling myself being stretched.  
I couldn’t help but make a sound of discomfort, though she was careful and gentle as she could go, it was still tender from Peter’s and Sirius’s fingers taking turns in roughly putting their fingers inside of me.

Madam Pomfrey had examined every other section of me first, before getting to this point; having me lie on my back, heels as close to my backside, legs open for her, Severus was acting as a human pillow or something, as my back was against him, which proved to help my levels of anxiety in this.

There was only so much magical examination can do and this particular one cannot be done by a wave and a spell, something about accidentally causing more damage with magic than non-magic, and as much as it wasn’t going to be comfortable, it was the best way to be sure that my opening and inside it wasn’t fully tampered with.

“Remus on your next exhale I am going to remove the speculum,” the nurse informs. “Breathe in.”  
I do this, and on my exhale I feel the wretched thing being slipped out of me, allowing me to close my legs. I had also shifted a little where I was partly on my side, no longer wanting to be on my back.  
Severus brushed his fingers along my forehead, moving my hair a little.

“Thankfully everything is still intake and thriving, by the looks of it, you’re looking at another seven days before you come into your next heat,” Madam Pomfrey tells me.  
My eyes closed, I guess I was relieved.  
I could feel Severus squeezing my hand. He would still be here if the news had of been different, sensing that with that assurance.  
“What is going to happen now?” I dare ask.

“You and Mr Snape will be leaving the castle tonight. It is upon my order as the Medi-witch of this school to have it done, as part of your own safety. I will also be adding to Professor McGonagall’s report on having you no longer having to attend Hogwarts, should you choose, much to the point that you will be transferred to one of the estates that are under the Prince ownership of your choosing, complete your education in a manner that will suit you and your circumstances,” we are told by Madam Pomfrey.

“What of the three who’ve done this to my mate?” I hear the tone in Severus’s voice, he wanted blood.  
“All in due time, Mr Snape,” said Madam Pomfrey. “They would have been seen to by the Headmaster, on the Deputy’s insistence and strong reminder of why such measures should have been taken to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the first place. She takes a special interest in making sure that all students are safe as possible, where she can, especially the most vulnerable.  
“For now, I am going to quickly go back to the infirmary to put these findings on file, and allow you to dress, Mr Lupin. While I am gone, you, Mr Snape will have to consider where you and Mr Lupin are to be transferred to, knowing you have several locations to choose from, if you need the files I can have them whipped up here the moment I can. For your wellbeing, no-one is going to be entering this room, except for either myself or Professor McGonagall.”

“What of Professor Dumbledore?” I ask.  
“One thing people always forget, the Medical staff is the highest position in any place they are located, including a school. Since I am the Head Nurse, and I have the Deputy’s backing, not even the Headmaster can overturn my say so. You can choose to ignore that, as it is your right to deny me, but I highly doubt you would.”  
I shake my head.

“You may also shower if you like, Mr Lupin, these things do take a bit of time to process, and I’ve gotten what I needed to. If you are hungry, I can send some items up, too. You will still be out of here before the night is done, so do rest if you can, until then.”  
After thanking the Mediwitch, she was gone, Severus and I left alone again.

“Would you like to bathe?” I hear my mate ask.  
“I don’t know what I want to do,” I say. “I feel dirty, same way I felt when Greyback attacked me. I don’t know if a shower would help.”  
“I might help your nerves a little,” Severus replies, not at all upset with my words.  
He convinced me, by taking my hand and having us move to the bathroom that was in the area, where it wasn’t long before I felt the wonderful feel of clean, warm water going over me.

I let Severus lather the soap over me, being tentative, careful.  
He was about to avoid that area, between my legs, but something in me stopped him, and had him touch me. I wanted his gentle touch, I needed it!   
Severus kisses and caresses me, until I whisper in his hear; “Please?”  
It was one single word, but it was all that was needed. At first, he wasn’t sure if he ought to oblige, but sensing me, Severus was soon lying me down on the tiled floor, parting my legs and pushing his penis inside me.

It stang, but after what Peter and Sirius had done, and the examination Pomfrey had to carry out, feeling my mate for the first time was far better and welcoming. I could feel his carefulness and want for me to feel good, and that I was his.  
Severus and I were going to wait for my heat to break my virginity, but it didn’t matter, our bonding will still go ahead, just not as fully planned.

We lost track on how long we were on that bathroom floor, but all I remember was the magic pulsing through us, as Severus pumped slowly into me, speeding up gradually, until we were both seeing stars flashing. My penis had hardened during, as a result, shot my white spurts right on to Severus’s chest and stomach, the same time he let out an almighty moan releasing his own inside of me, where I could feel it trickling out with my wet.  
“Are you okay, my wolf?” he asks me.

My words must have gotten caught in my throat, so I just nodded, pulling him down to meet my lips, before we move to get up off the floor.  
For once, though it was from circumstances I wish never happened, I felt like I was loved. Though I have no idea if this is what could be considered as much.  
We got dressed and returned to the room, where upon the bed were files waiting upon my bed – I was pinned on Sirius’s bed.

“Estates and Properties that belong to Severus Prince (Snape),” I read aloud.  
“My Mum placed Prince on to my birth certificate, not Snape,” Severus explains. “My sperm donor was pissed when he found out about that and tried to have it changed, but once it was sealed, that’s it, but they did document me as Severus Snape for future paperwork, so is to keep the moron content.”  
“So, your name is not Severus Snape?” I asked him, a little puzzled.

Severus understood the perplexity so he clarified a little more; “It is, but for legality stuff I am Severus Prince. Dumbledore insisted that I keep Snape and not be under Prince if I was to attend this school, though it ticked me off being under my sperm donor’s name and not my actual name. I never understood why.”  
“Didn’t your Mum protest?”

Severus shook his head, seating himself next to me. “Not with the control she was under she couldn’t. When she was forced to marry the man who supposedly sired me, her magic was cruelly cut off, she could only do simple basic spells, nothing more. She wasn’t allowed to defend herself, and the fucks knew she was being abused, as well as I, but did shit fuck all to intervene.  
“When I was born, she did what she had to in order to make sure nothing, from the tiniest gemstone in a broach to a property ended up in someone else’s hands but mine. All of which became accessible when I turned sixteen, using the old laws of the ancient family lines of when the eldest child turns sixteen, they are legally in ownership of their family’s wealth and whatever else, should something happen to the Head of Household.”

“Head of Household would be you?” I say.  
“Yes.”  
“I’m... I’m sorry for your loss,” not sure as to why I even said it.  
Severus shook his head again. “My Mum is still alive, Remus, unfortunately, she unable to manage much so everything is pretty much on to me.”  
My cheeks went red. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to assume.”

“Not your fault, I didn’t make things clearer, perhaps it’s more my habit of protecting her, and allowing others to assume she had passed away,” Severus replies, he did sound a little sad talking about his mother, but in other ways, happy to. Then he decided to change the subject and go on to deciding where to be transferred to.  
Madam Pomfrey wasn’t kidding when she said there were several locations.  
“How do you manage these?” I ask with amazement.

“They’re all protected, and by protected, I mean protected. Nothing happens to these properties unless I have given explicit permission; before then they were pretty much untouched since my grandfather died,” said Severus. “Okay, that’s not true, three of them were turned into Bed and Breakfasts, one is a respite home for the disabled, so carers can have a break; four holiday houses, five camp site resorts and six animal rescue and rehab shelters. They’ve been running since they had first opened, made to change and adapt to time, specifics and certain needs.  
“The most I did with those when they were handed to me, was making sure they weren’t doing anything that would have the people fired, or have the place shut down all together, or overhaul, whatever. Funny how they wanted to question a sixteen year old until I showed them whatever I needed to, they immediately shut up, some tried to suck up to me, it was ever amusing.”

This was helping in distracting me from what had happened earlier.  
“Did you consider ever moving to any of these places?” I ask.  
“More times than I could count,” Severus admits. “There are places that help in advanced learning in various fields, such as potions degrees, people who wish to master in astronomy or animal care, or even expand on interests.”  
“I wish that was even possible for the likes of me,” I cannot help saying, concentrating on two properties that had caught my attention.

“What are you talking about?”  
“I’m a werewolf, no-one will want to risk someone like me within their workplace,” I tell him. “I’ve heard the stuff they say about the rules and stuff they’ve put in place to make it harder to get jobs for anyone who isn’t fully human.”  
“That’s only here in the United Kingdom, Remus,” Severus tells me. “Has no one told you of what your choices are outside of Hogwarts?”  
I shake my head. “No, they had not. I know McGonagall has given me some ideas, but... I don’t have the means to pursue them, except for my grades. I know the moment anyone finds out about me, they’d want me out.”

Severus looks right at me. “Not if that person wants to make sure that you are welcome and secure and with every precaution taken, they won’t. Plus, not all places are harsh, and there are a small handful of countries that have helped those who have lycanthropy in some shape or form.”  
“Which countries are those?” I ask, wondering why I had not been given this information before.  
“France, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and Sweden, just to name a few of the handful.”

“And you have properties in two of those countries,” I couldn’t hide the minor amusement; as they were the two I had been looking at, one in France, the other in Australia.  
“Where would you like to go?”  
“Me?”  
“In a few short days time, we’re going to need complete privacy and be comfortable, beyond that a place that would be deemed suitable for long term living,” Severus tells me in a reasonable tone.  
“Do you really believe that it is even possible?” I ask.

Severus leans over and kisses my lips. “I want you to able to achieve and believe that you can my wolf. Both of these places have the potential to do that, if you really have a good look at the information that goes with the visuals.  
“I want you to also heal.”  
“But what about your mother?” I cautiously ask.  
“My Mum is in a good place, and I do visit often.”  
“Is she okay?”  
“She has her good and bad days; I would rather save that for another day, perhaps when I go see her next, you may wish to come with me.”  
“Then shouldn’t you be picking the location? So you can be close to her?”  
I could see the understanding and sentiment in seeing me wanting to look out for him, and his mother.  
“She will still be in a safe place, no matter we go.”  
Still hoping Severus’s mother was actually okay, but seeing the conversation about her was over, I went back to the two files; reading them carefully.

“Is that a zoo? Or a campsite?”  
“It’s a combination of a caravan and camping park, national park reserve though a great big chunk of it is owned by me, since someone before me purchased that land under some deal or something, I can’t remember how or why, only that they wanted to make sure that it cannot be touched by greedy developers, a partial zoo or national animal park, whatever they’re called over there. It’s one of the campsites and animal rehabs I mentioned that was part of the properties owned. This is the only one that is really a combination of those, as well as a large area reserved for recreational activities.  
“I do have plans on seeing if it can be expanded to being something of an educational centre of sorts, too, where people can do more than just camp or whatever, they can have cooking events, or health retreats, or whatever they’re called. School camps or work experience, maybe?”

I stare at Severus with fascination when I hear him talking about this place in Australia. He was looking at it so fondly and with desires that I don’t think I had ever heard him speak of until now.

“Then why don’t you?” I ask him.  
“Time and planning, for one,” said Severus. “The people who have been keeping the place up to scratch know of these plans, and I made sure they couldn’t shirk me and go behind my back on it, as I won’t put up with it. I maybe sixteen, but I still own the place, and legally, I can fire people if I needed to, which is a surreal thing to know.  
“The idea was to get out of the UK as soon as I was done with this school, before shit really hit the fan, and become make the move permanent, a few of these other properties I have some intention of selling, as I have no use for them and they’re dead weight to me, yet at the same time I don’t know if I want to, instead turn them into something useful.”

“Because of me, you might be able to have part of that goal ticked off already,” I mutter, not looking at him.  
Severus looked at me with his dark eyes. “Remus, what those fuckwits did to you is not your fault!” he told me strongly. “I am also keeping my options open, because I know that it’s not just about me, this is about you, too.”

“I just want to be safe, Severus, and with some chances of being able to do more than scrape by in existence,” I reply, I pause for a moment, before adding; “And far away from those who I thought were my friends.”

My vision blurred when trying to blink away the tears forming. It hit me just then, on what they had done. The three who took me into their fold after the first two weeks of our first year, called me my friends, the people I could always trust, only to turn around and smash it in the most horrible way they could; James standing guard, while Sirius and Peter held me down and...

I could still feel the fingers inside me, I could still taste the forced entry of the penis inside my mouth, and I wanted to vomit. Sirius smelt all wrong and his taste was off, I don’t know if it was because it was forced, or because Sirius wasn’t my mate, because I have given Severus head before, wanting to explore my curiosities, and he was willing to allow me to, so I don’t know.

Severus held me firmly once more.  
“When Madam Pomfrey or Professor McGonagall come, we will let them know that we’ve chosen Australia,” he tells me, rubbing my back.  
Right now, I didn’t care if he said we’re going to the Arctic Circle, any place was better than being here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Australia again?  
Yeah... what can I say?  
Mind I did think of Hawaii or South Africa to be fair.


	8. Transferred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to move

Chapter 8  
Transferred

Severus’s POV:

Remus had fallen asleep against me, (I had stretched out on the bed a little earlier to allow him to lean on me and make things a little more comfortable).

It was strange being in a room full of red and gold, being used to green, black and silver, but for Remus, I put this aside. He needed me and I wasn’t going to discard him. He cried himself to sleep; he had tried to stop the sobs and tears, but they just kept coming, I have a feeling that it was more than what the fucked up “Marauders” had done, but of the shit that he buried and had to hide away for so long, had decided to drag themselves through, too.

All I could do was just hold him and comfort him, rub his back, or head, or wherever my hands happened to go, assuring him that he was with safe company and I wasn’t going to stop him from doing what he undoubtedly needed to do.

I was still a little taken aback that Remus had allowed me to break his virginity, but I guess we both sensed the other. He was scared our bond had been broken, that he was unworthy because he had been violated and that he no longer belonged to me. I was more afraid of his mentality if I did have him underneath me, claiming him in some other way to further our bondage.

Yet, he surprised me when he willingly submitted to me, for that moment, he did forget about the shitheads from earlier. I knew it would have stang for a few short moments when I first entered him, but I saw that far off expression of wonder, heard him enjoying me within his walls, hitting the right areas, including the prostate, knowing he was hardening at every grind.

I didn’t fondle with his hardening cock and balls, seeing that it was still rather sensitive from the rough handlings, but I knew he was hardening all the same. I did, however, make sure the head was treated with some gentle teasing upon the slit, which caused him to really call out to me, wanting me, almost wanting me to do more to the area, but at the same time, I also heard the faintest whimper, because of the bruising, afraid that it would hurt, and he was going to be in trouble for speaking up about it.

To prove to him that I wasn’t that sort of lover and mate, I moved my fingers away from his cock tip and simply concentrated on my thrusts until we both came. The feeling of his warm white spurts hitting against me was heaven to me.

It was enough for him to semi-forget for a while, not that I wanted him to forget, just have his mind elsewhere for a little bit.  
Which did sort of work, when we were going through where we could go.  
That was when I felt him starting to feel as though this change was his fault, he was so afraid to make a real choice, because every time he made one, it felt like it was the wrong one for him because of everyone around him causing him so much shit for bloody trying.

From his own parents to these fake friends, I understood that I had to be the one to make the choice for us both and he would accept it. He wanted to be safe, he wanted chances; I could tell that he wanted it to be okay to have those in his life, just didn’t know how to apply those and know he wasn’t going to get hit upon.

I chose Australia – Queensland to be exact – because it was the best of the properties that was available. The laws were fairer over there for not just witches and wizards, but for people like Remus. The protection for male bearers are more prominent, meaning the shit that happened tonight wouldn’t have happened in the first place, and including the so called “prank”, if it had gone ahead, morons would have been expelled, or something. Unsure how it would have panned out for Remus, however.

I think of this as I look at him, looking rather peaceful in his slumber, he genuinely did not know that he was just as set up as I was that night. When he tried to speak up to them, and tried to get Dumbledore to have himself expelled from the school, out of fear of it happening again, and was fallen on deaf ears and also forced to shut up and get back into line...

Since that event, Remus had been trying to avoid contact with people; he tried to make sure an incident like that never happened again. He went as far as spiralling out at one point, but everyone thought it was him stressing over the OWL exams, now I know better.

My wolf was going through a tug of war. He was combating to have his own control, trying to seek approval at the same time, and he was afraid that if he lived, he would be used again, and I saw his memory of him trying to end it...

I remember that, because I stopped him.  
I hadn’t known it at the time. I had entered the boys’ lavatory and caught this sudden movement of Remus suddenly putting something away into his robes, a tear stained face, and looking extremely guilty over something.

“I’ll just... I’ll leave you alone,” he speaks in a fast manner, before suddenly moving out of the lavatory.  
That was his first attempt...  
The second one... I heard something about him ending up in the Hospital Wing, but I didn’t delve into it, thinking he was just sick with the flu and didn’t bother with the details.  
Only to find out that he was trying to overdose himself on a sleeping potion and hang himself. Obviously the attempt failed, because he was found and rushed to Pomfrey.

At the time, I thought he was simply weak.  
Now, I know he was far, far from that.  
I quietly run my fingers alongside his brow once more, into the front of his hair and see how peaceful he seemed to look right now.  
Why he wasn’t allowed to leave the school and really seek help after that point, I didn’t know.

It did make me wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t intervened when he was being attacked by Greyback that night in the Shrieking Shack. The night I claimed Remus as my mate. He would have been a lot worse of a nightmare, and I do not think he would have been able to cope.

But enough was enough!  
This shouldn’t have taken so long to have put interventions, help and whatever else!  
Not just to me, but to Remus, too!  
Who else had suffered at this school, because of incompetence and lack of duty of care where the students’ welfare was of absolute concern?

The sound of the door opening disrupts my thoughts, or it woke me up, for I must have dozed off lightly.  
I peer over to see Professor McGonagall entering, so I softly nudge Remus to wake him, though I would have loved for him to in his peacefulness.

“What is going on?” I ask, as she looked rather grave.  
“I had to send notice to the authorities to what has happened, I had to go above Professor Dumbledore’s head to do it, for when I presented the three who attacked Mr Lupin, he didn’t think it was right for them to be sent to trial, or prison, let alone be handed over to you, knowing it is your right to do so, since you’re mates with a male bearer.  
“However, when they came to the school and heavily questioned the three, they sided with Dumbledore’s opinion.”  
“What? Why?” I fumed.

“Because they didn’t think what Mr Black and Mr Pettigrew had done was overly serious, and agreed that because Mr Potter didn’t actually manhandle Remus, he shouldn’t be punished,” McGonagall was completely and utterly ticked off, I could see it in her strict, but kind face, I think I saw her nostrils flaring. “When Madam Pomfrey gave the evidence, it was dismissed as not enough, with the words, ‘the werewolf could have contaminated them from his own sweat’ being the quote. Even when pointed out that you, Remus, are a male bearer, and is by rights, under the same laws that were set up for such, they said it wasn’t their problem, because they didn’t want to be seen protecting someone not worthy of their concern, meaning the fact of you being a werewolf hindered things from going further.”

“But... he is my mate! Shouldn’t that have counted?” I ask, feeling Remus partly concealing his face into me, not wanting to talk.

Professor McGonagall shook her head with a saddened expression. “According to them, you’re simply a half-blood under the name of Snape, which has no meaning or weight. They are forgetting that you are legally under name of Prince and a Lord at that, but won’t even acknowledge that, because you’re not seen as legitimate being only sixteen, though all titles and strings that are attached to them, say otherwise.”

“So... what are you saying? They’re waiting until I am seventeen to be seen as legit?” I was calm as I could be.

This is where I see a very small, curt upturn of the Professor’s lips. “That is what they are saying, not me. They have forgotten that the laws are worldwide, where male bearers and their protection is concerned, even if they choose to live as females, they’re protected,” she tells us.

“I know that Madam Pomfrey has received your final choice and has set everything up for you to be on your way. She has even sent everything that has been said and done to the authorities before she had presented them to the DMLE members here; she presented the duplicates to the Headmaster and the Aurors. She will be sending the recording she took of them destroying the evidence, as well, knowing that the originals are safe and sound on the other side of the world, where you will be.”

“So... they will be coming back up here?” Remus’s voice was slightly hoarse, both from being still sleepy and crying earlier.

“I am afraid so, but you two will not be,” said McGonagall, she pulls out a small flag on a stick; the flag was Australian.

“This will activate the moment you two touch it, it’s a specialised Portkey that will take you to the location you’ve chosen. In a few days, you will be in contact with the DMLE of Australia. I have already given as much as I could to them, and will be adding on where I can and need to.”

“In the meantime, Black, Potter and Pettigrew get to walk around as though they hadn’t done anything wrong, spread all sorts of rumours and whatever else,” I could not hide my disgust.

“Please know that I have tried to have them expelled. The most has been done is two weeks suspension... after the holidays are over,” I could hear the dismay from her, and the nostrils going again at the thought of this. “Madam Pomfrey tried to argue on this, but she was quickly hushed over something I don’t know about.”  
I sigh heavily. “Not your fault, Professor. Karma and, I hope, justice, will be met.”

Professor McGonagall just nods. “There isn’t much time, as the Portkey is about to activate.”  
She hands over the little flag, which I take and Remus takes hold when I bring it closer.  
“Good luck with the new venture, we will still do what we can here.”  
“Thank you.”

McGonagall looked as though she was about to say something more, only the Portkey took hold and the dorm room disappeared from my sights, replaced by the front yard of the house that made up part of the large property.

The house was what Australians would call a Queenslander, where you went up a flight of stairs to get to the main of the house, where the living, bedrooms and everything was, underneath was more of a storage area, though people can and have converted it to another living space, either a rumpus or whatever they needed it to be, majority put their cars in the area, as it is a car port or garage, or whatever they’re called.

This one had a little bathroom in the undercover area, and the laundry area for the washing machine – where majority of them go in these houses.  
But the reason for this particular design was because Queensland is known for floods and storms, particularly in this time of year, now that it was December, where build up happens, but it also depends on which part of the state, too, the further north you go, the more tropical, the further out west, the more drier it is, whilst under the Capricorn line, it tends to vary depending on the rest of the state and areas over the New South Wales border.

You’re getting this distinct impression that I have been to this place before, aren’t you?

Yes, I have. A few times, with my Mum, to get the fuck away from the sperm donor for a while. It was her right as a Prince to be able to have some freedom, and I am her son, so there was no way in the damned world she was going to leave me with that man who isn’t even my biological father, just a stand in because of some inanity that my own Mum cannot disclose to me, no matter how much she wanted to.

She couldn’t even go to the ICW whenever she came here, because she was under that much control, even with her ‘freedom’, so getting help was impossible. She wanted me away from England, or the UK as a whole, and has been pushing for it to happen, but at the end, she was forced to shut up permanently.  
Guess, Mum got her wish after all, as I am standing here, with Remus, in front of the house that is to be home.

“Are those powerlines?” Remus asks, as he was taking in the surroundings from the spot we were in, and having to look up, and seeing the connecting lines connected to the house from a bit of a very tall wooden pole a good distance away.

“Australian wizards live part Muggle here,” I tell him. “They prefer it that way. They don’t see the point in shutting off entirely, so they live secretly in the open, because in this country, there is room to do just that.

“Plus, I like this way of living. As much as I hated the sperm donor, I did love having the television, as you know my liking toward Batman.”  
Remus nods.

We head up the stairs and reach the front porch balcony, where it was bare.

“Most of the furniture had been given away,” I inform him. “Not everything, just the stuff that wasn’t getting used, as I didn’t know how long it would be before I was even going to be back here, if ever. The only thing I kept was the beds, magicked so they stay clean and preserved for use.”

I say this as we enter a little hallway of sorts that split into three, (best way I could describe it), to the right there was a single room that only had a doorway, no door, down on the left could be best described as a little study nook, as there was a desk with shelving built into the wall, straight ahead led into the rest of the house.

Further in, it opens to the large living area, or ‘lounge room’ as they’re known as, like I have told Remus, nothing was in here, because of the unknowing of being able to come back here, and I hate, hate, hate waste, including perfectly good furniture and appliances.

To the left was an arch shaped doorway that leads to a hallway that I know leads to the bedrooms and a bathroom, while to the right was a dazzling row of windows that were flyscreened – you need those here!

Past this was the dining room and kitchen area, as well as the back patio-balcony, where there was another nook of a room located.

Not all houses are of this design, and I already know that changes will be happening with this particular house, as the intention was to live here permanently. But, that is if Remus wishes for the same, for now, I could already tell that he was just happy being away from Hogwarts, so I’ll just be content on that.

Right now, it was just after ten o’clock in the morning, being nine hours ahead of Scotland and England, and we had left the place somewhere before or after 1am.

“What do we do now?” Remus asks.  
“Did you wish to go back to sleep?” I ask.  
Remus shook his head. “I don’t feel like sleeping,” he sounded timid in his honesty. “Did you?”  
“Nah, I’m actually awake,” I answer.

I probably was, indeed, tired, I just didn’t feel that way right now, so figured I can burn whatever energy was going through me.

“Well, we do need some stuff to make this place a little more comfortable,” I do say. “Food, linen, a fridge and freezer.”  
“But, how do we get those things? We’re sixteen and...”  
I grin at Remus’s uncertainty, which perhaps confused him even more.  
“You know how in the UK, the legal age for Wizards and Witches is seventeen?” I say.  
“Yes.”

“In Australia, it’s sixteen! Plus, muggles here don’t seem to really notice when a sixteen year old wizard, or witch, goes into their stores to purchase what they needs, as the way things have been set up in this country is made to help, not hinder, adaptability.

“So long as the laws are still met, we’re virtually all good.”  
This did surprise Remus. “What if we had of been in France, instead?”

“The age would be seventeen, like the UK, but with exceptions to the rule, as I am legally seen as an adult with my titles and Mum unable to carry on the stuff that go with them,” I simply answer. I then frown a little. “Sadly, some of the French do seem to favour some of the Members of the British Ministry, including Dumbledore, a little. Not enough to have much influence, but it’s still something that would have been something to keep in mind if we had of chosen France.”

“Oh,” says Remus. “But, how do we get to where we need to go?”  
“Unfortunately, we can’t drive yet, even with being legal age, rules are rules, if we want a licence to drive a car we have to go mostly the Muggle way. But, until then, we can take public transport, which is pretty easy to do. Anything that requires heavy lifting can be delivered.

“We’re also going to require a telephone and number, too!”  
“Why?”  
“Trust me,” I just say, grinning.  
Still unsure, but willing to trust in this, Remus nodded.

“But, before we go anywhere, I think it would be best if we weren’t in Hogwarts uniforms,” I say.  
Once we were changed into different sets of clothing, Remus and I were off to the first of the many stores we would have to visit to get what we need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The image of the house is an example of what a "Queenslander House" design. There are several other styles, but are near built in the same manner with the living up top and storage and stuff, including laundry, some homes do have a downstairs toilet/bathroom, but at times, you're better off using the one upstairs because of cane toads and frogs that like to hide in the downstairs, depending on your location.  
(I still get flashbacks of frogs making themselves at home in the downstairs toilet up in Darwin, where houses the same style)


	9. Things we need

Chapter 9  
Things we needs

_Remus’s POV:_

When I first saw the place we were to be staying, I was without words.

Seeing the design of the house, the gardens and yard that made up only part of the area, for I could see that past this there were dirt and gravel trails that led to other sections of the large acreage, or whatever it was probably called.

I saw what looked to be a very large lodge of sorts, with cabins plotted about far off in the distance. It probably wasn’t that far away, but it felt as though it was, designed for privacy and usage at the same time. There was another lodge style house; I could see immediately that this was the beginning of the animals sector of the place, seeing the way some of the fencing was made up, spaced out and carefully positioned.

I could see the starts of the national park area beyond these areas.

It was almost like we were near on isolated, but I could see that it was how it was meant to look, as when we changed out of our Hogwarts stuff and into simple jeans and shirts, made our way down the driveway that led to the main of the house – and finding out later that there was more than one entry point to this place, but well structured and whatnot – the road was just there, or it felt like it was just there anyway.

Severus stuck his wand out and very much like the Knight Bus a taxi appears out of nowhere.

“Okay, I wasn’t expecting that,” I said.  
The driver sticks his head out and asks; “Where to?”  
“Aspley, please,” said Severus.  
“Righto,” says the driver.

Not even two minutes and we were in Aspley.  
“Saves going a full hour,” Severus grins, paying the taxi driver.  
Obviously money was organised before we arrived here, otherwise I wouldn’t have a clue how things would have been paid for. Not sure how that works, but Severus certainly does.  
We get out of the taxi and I am at awe of the place we were in, with the stores and such, but I have a feeling that it something like Diagon Alley, only blended into the large area.

I simply followed Severus, as he seemed to know where to go, which I am glad for, because I would get lost in a place like this and that would be bad.

The first place we entered was a store named Freedom; it wasn’t completely difficult to find the Wizard employees over the Muggle ones, because as soon as we walked through the door, we were approached by a young woman, dressed in the uniform of the establishment she worked in, but had a simple necklace that had a little witch’s hat pendant, cliché, but it helped.

The other was because she could tell we weren’t ‘in our twenties’ or whatever the magic does around here for sixteen and seventeen year old magic folk, the ‘glamour’ doesn’t work with the wizards and witches here, unless we, ourselves, want it to.

She was very helpful though, seeming to recognise Severus from whenever ago, as they got chatting like no tomorrow, as we went about looking at the couches, the dining table sets and so on.

When it came to actually choosing, Severus did make sure I had a say, too.  
By the end of it, we had selected a nice three seater couch with a matching pair of recliners, a simple seven piece dining set and an entertainment unit.  
After it was a quick trip to a bedding store to purchase new mattresses.

“Trust me, the frames would still be good, but I’d rather new mattresses,” Severus tells me.  
I could see his point.

Again, we were served by someone of the wizard world, not the muggle one. It was near bizarre, but I am starting to quite like this. Being that we were recognised as a couple, instead of just two guys, by those who were of the wizard side.

This was the same with every store we went to.  
Severus still made sure I made my input.

I couldn’t go past some very, very plush towels I spotted, never having something felt so wonderful to the touch. I was nearly embarrassed by this, and nearly just walked away; hoping to not have made myself look stupid, but Severus grabbed six of the actual sets they had, all up that was 12 towels, 12 hand towels and 12 flannels. Brand new sheet sets, too.

After we were done with this centre, we moved to a different store that had fridges, televisions and washing machines.  
I know I had a Muggle mother, but I’ve never known that this stuff could actually co-exist with magic, yet here we are in a country that has figured it out.  
With everything set to be delivered somewhere later in the afternoon, or the next day, which is a minor flaw with the mingled existence is having to deal with some muggle timelines, but it wasn’t a drama, we will have the fridge and freezer ready by the time we were finished with everything.

Going to a store called Woolworths was the last shop we went to, so we had food and other stuff in the house.  
We were taken back via taxi, and when we entered, we found that the fridge and freezer were in the kitchen, ready for use.

“No, they didn’t need to go into the house to know where it has to go,” Severus assured when I looked rather alarmed.  
We put everything in their place, Severus set the telephone up, including number – another little wizard trick he must know, because I am pretty sure he would have had to have called some phone company otherwise.

The mattresses were switched around, the old ones were placed downstairs, under the house, in the actual storage room, but only the bed in the master room was made. Opting to leave the other two beds, which were both single beds, the next day, when everything else was delivered.  
Things were far from complete, but it was a start.

If I wasn’t too tired by the time we were finished, I would have put up the Christmas tree!

May seem pretty silly, but I have always liked Christmas, it was something to look forward to because I was able to forget most of the stuff I’ve had to hurdle through. Also, every Christmas, up until I was cast aside, my parents would pretend to care; always getting new sets of clothes, a little hamper of chocolate and a new toy or two.

I knew it was to keep up appearances, since my mother’s parents would always come by to see me to shower me with gifts... but as soon as my grandparents left, everything they gave me, save for a couple of items, was gotten rid off.

When I found out that I was without a home, I did try to get in contact with my grandparents, only to be told by them that I was no longer their grandson, because I wasn’t what they deemed to be ‘normal’, in other words, being attracted to boys was wrong.

But, year in, year out, I would still hope for a good Christmas tiding and always, always wished for some miracle to change things for the better.  
Severus liked Christmas because he had his mother, who always made did her best to make the day enjoyable, even under the circumstances they were in.

Severus ordered pizza to be delivered, which I had never tried before, but was convinced that I would enjoy it.  
Whilst waiting for the food, I went to the bathroom and began soaking in the shower.  
What a day!

It took me a while to realise that I hadn’t thought of what they had done to me.  
But, there was something else that was happening to me right now.

“Remus?”  
I look to see Severus at the door.

“I thought Madam Pomfrey said this won’t happen for another seven days,” I say, feeling the yearning starting to going through me.

“Doesn’t always end up being that way, plus we did jump ahead in time, and we’re in a different climate, it is possible your body is reacting to it and decided to bring it forwards,” Severus said fairly. “I know mine have done so, and there is the added fact that the potions have finally come out of my system, so there is that probable factor, too.”

“Is it possible it came forward because of...?’ I trailed off.  
Severus knew where I was going. “Maybe,” he answered, carefully.

The sound of the doorbell disrupted our conversation; Severus said he’ll be right back and went to answer it.

I shut off the shower and start to dry myself off, (mmm, the feel of the fresh plush towel against my skin was delightful); I hear mutters and then the door closing.  
Not bothering with clothing, and just putting my dressing robe around me, tying the sash, I went up the little hallway and into the lounge where Severus had put the two pizza boxes on the coffee table.

“Dinner is served!”  
He only got the simple cheese pizza and the other his personal favourite the supreme; my first taste in pizza and I wasn’t disappointed.

###

_Severus’s POV:_

I knew the shopping trip would have gotten Remus’s mind away from things. I could still see how unsure he was though, especially with those towels!

To anyone it would have been perhaps the most mundane thing to go nuts over, but I saw Remus’s reaction to the feel of the material and this far away look of enjoying something that was posh looking, (to me there are such things as posh looking towels and sheets). He got self-conscious when he saw me catching me, reminding me that, while we weren’t too different, we were in others, this was one of them.

Remus was almost a kid in a lolly shop when he saw the grocery store, Woolworths.

It was almost amusing seeing him go all alarmed when he saw that the fridge and freezer were at the house, all set up, but I wasn’t going to laugh, that wouldn’t be nice.

When I went to check on him in the shower, I knew he had come into his heat; seeing that he was partly presenting himself with his hands on the wall in front of him, legs not quite shoulder width, but enough for me to know that he was starting to become really, really wet and edging toward becoming ready.

He was worried that the Nurse might have gotten it wrong in the dates, until I told him of the possible reasons why it came now, instead of later. I was truthful about my no longer having the potions and spells in my system, having found this sudden ‘relief’ slide on in as we were finishing shopping.

I really did not want him thinking it was because of those fuckwits! But he had to wonder on that one.  
It was possible because I had sex with him before we came here and his body wanted to be complete.  
Whatever the reason, it was clear on what needed to be done.  
But first, food!

Fresh pizza, delivered, and there is no way you can get this stuff at Hogwarts! Or in the Wizard World back in England! Which sucks!  
Remus really enjoyed it.  
“Just think, pretty soon it’ll be pizza and movie night,” I say.  
I was amused by his surprised reaction to this suggestion.

I love being a wizard, but I also like some of the stuff muggles have and enjoy, I just had to hide that fact from the bigots and morons I had to share school with. Ugh! They would never understand how it is pretty easy to have the best of both worlds.

Deciding to let Remus have some moments alone, I, myself, went for a shower. Seeing him the robe and nothing more was tempting, however there was a certain ritual that had to be done and I wanted him to be ready, as once we’re connected, we won’t be able to separate until the sun was up.

When I had finished my shower, I could sense Remus had moved to our bedroom, I accio come drinks, (non-alcoholic), before heading straight there.

He was seated cross-legged on the bed, the covers pulled back enough.  
I go over and place the beverage on the bedside table.  
“Do you know how the ritual goes?” I kindly ask him.  
Remus shook his head. “Only the last bit.”

Putting a quick end to his sense of inadequacy, I moved and planted my lips firmly on his, and gently getting him to follow my lead, by encouraging him to touch me, and slowly get him to move down upon me until I was feeling the heat of his mouth and the wetness of his tongue on my cock, balls and even my opening. He was submitting to me, but I want him to know that he is my equal, and there is a way to do this during this bonding.

Remus didn’t cringe, or repulse, at the tastes and smell of me, he ravished my privates, to where I was groaning for more, before I had him pull it away and getting him to lie upon his back, he thought for a moment that I was going to make my connection with him, about to part his legs in order to do so, but before he did, I was straddling him and sliding my own wet heat down upon his stiff cock, taking him by surprise.

I kiss his lips firmly before speaking in his ear. “You are my equal, my wolf, though I will be planting my seed inside of you, this is my real pledge to you as your mate and the newly named Remus John Prince.”

###

_Remus’s POV:_

Feeling Severus climb on top of me and announce me as his equal was something I had not expected for him to do.

At first I thought he wasn’t serious. But when he began doing the things that he had me doing to him, except for the oral, as he had me inside of his walls that were snug around my penis, it was clear that he was serious.

He guided me with his movements, having me thrust upwards into him, and kept going until I saw stars and feel my semen shooting out.  
A very pleased look was on his face when he slid off of me, grabbing a bottle of water and offered it to me.

It was a mere few seconds of guzzling the water, but it was enough, because once done, Severus was upon me, licking and sucking on me, putting his tongue into my opening, before he crawling back up to me and pushing himself inside of me.

My inner walls constricted around him, I could feel them seizing and holding him right into place. Severus tested this where he gently tugged to remove himself, only to find that he was unable to, I see his lips forming into a smile once more, before we were locking lips and caressing the other.

I was his equal, I may be more on the submissive side, but to him, even a sub needed to dominate.

But right now, all I could feel was our bodies doing what they’re meant to be doing. He would shift now and again, but I knew he was squirting whatever build up he had been holding into me, and I could already sense my own ovaries releasing that vital egg, ready for fertilising, in hopes to become a healthy implantation within my womb.

I never knew how much I wanted this to happen, until now.

As I feel and sense this, I hold Severus a little tighter and closer to me, locking my ankles around the back of his thighs, wanting him to start rubbing once more, to which he gladly obliged.


	10. Dumbledore's Wrath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore is not happy and takes it out on Pomfrey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Warning disturbing scenes ahead**

Chapter 10  
Dumbledore’s Wrath

_Dumbledore’s POV:_

When it was bought to my attention that Minerva and Poppy had allowed for Severus and Remus to take a Portkey, not only out of the castle, but out of the country, I was not impressed.

The same way I felt when Severus interfered with Fenrir Greyback’s claimant over Remus Lupin, as a deal to have his promised alliance, and allow him to breed pups in order to build a pack army. Just as much when I learned that Severus put his mark on the Lupin boy to ‘save him’ from Greyback, who I helped gain access into the Shrieking Shack and sent enough food and supplies for the night and day, until the night came for him to make his move on the younger werewolf.

_Of course I knew Lupin was a male bearer!_

His parents told me, along with his lycanthropy. Back and forth I have been helping them to be relieved of their burden, going as far as writing to the boy’s grandparents to inform them of his interest toward boys, knowing it would widen the gap.

When I heard of Remus no longer being in a home, for his parents had up and left, I did what I could to help the boy.

I let him have a few nights in the Leaky Cauldron each summer, I guided him toward the company of Sirius Black and James Potter, Peter Pettigrew was there by chance. They helped him to learn his place.

Or so I thought he had.

Poppy with her constant trying to go over my head, getting the boy properly checked over. Not just with Lupin, but with Severus Snape, too!

Having the audacity to try and write to the Wizengamot on many occasions, including the incident that had the Slytherin learn about the young werewolf. Not knowing that it was me who advised the young Sirius to encourage him to have a peek. Was not expecting James to step in and stop the plan, but I went along with it. Poppy was mortally horrified, but the letters she sent all came back to me through my trust in circle, the ones who blindly follow me, believing I am the next greatest thing to Merlin.

How flattering.

Whenever I learn of these, I see Poppy, alone, and I remind her once more why it is ill advisable to go against me. Telling her of the dirt I had on her, as I am forcing her to do whatever I desire, knowing she was mine by payment to end a debt, and I needed a Nurse for the school at the time...

To the school, she is a middle aged witch, stern and all that. But I had been keeping my own little charm on her, through a chain that cannot be removed, that shows me of her youth, when I first laid eyes on her.

She refused me way back then, even defied me when I told her not to do certain acts, but now, here I am, at my desk, robes wide open and having her forced upon her knees, holding her hair tightly in my grip.

“_Where are they?_” I demand.  
Poppy shakes her pretty little head.  
I yank her hair, hard, watching her cringe and gasp.

“You defied me, Poppy, and I am very disappointed!” I seethe; “You dare to try and embarrass myself and promising students in front of members of the Ministry, with these accusations of sexual assault on a male bearer. Forgetting that he is a werewolf, which means nothing to the Ministry here!”

I then force my cock into her open mouth.  
“You are still trying to go against me!” I continue, ramming her hard.  
I could see the tears running down her cheeks.   
_**Good!**_

“You, you have forgotten that you could be sent to Azkaban, or be given the Dementor’s Kiss for your crimes!”  
I pull my cock out, to allow her to speak. She coughs and splatters a little.  
“What I did was no crime!” she says.  
A timeless sentence! One she repeats every time.  
“No? Care to tell that to the Minister of Magic?”  
“If anyone needs to speak of their crimes, it is you, Albus,” Poppy dares to say.

This gets me to rip her to away and throw her to the floor, taking a little chunk of her hair.  
“How dare you!” I snarl, lunging on to her, and pinning her down. “I did what I had to for the Greater Good! _**Everything**_ I do is for the Greater Good of the Wizard society!”

Poppy whimpers and cries as I force myself into her, I don’t even know which hole I was in, but it didn’t matter, she was helpless against my powerful manhood. I wanted to make her hurt, and bleed. Another part of the curse is having her hymen become reattached again and again, so she would feel as though she was a virgin every time, how I enjoy watching the blood coming out of her pussy!

“By forcing Eileen Prince to marry Tobias Snape whilst she was pregnant with her dominant’s child?” she manages to get out through her wails.  
“If her maternal father hadn’t of been so willing to let the silly girl follow her heart, I wouldn’t have intervened!” I say, through my own grunts.  
She squirmed underneath me; oh this is wonderful, indeed!

“You will tell me where they are!” I tell her.  
“I cannot tell you, because I am not the Secret Keeper!” she came out with.

My eyes glowered at her, I saw the fear in her face, knowing she had just made the biggest mistake in telling me that.  
My hand came up, then down, colliding with her face; I rammed her harder and harder, whilst hitting her, biting her and whatever else to punish her.  
By the time I was done, Poppy Pomfrey was black and blue, bleeding from her pussy and her arse, sobbing.  
I would have loved to do the same to Minerva, but she too close to certain people, and I couldn’t risk it.

“Just be glad you hadn’t done really much to damage the reputation of Sirius Black and James Potter!” I spit. “Peter Pettigrew is very loyal to them, still, and I need that to continue!”

I walk away from the sobbing twit to fix myself a strong drink.

Severus Snape was not meant to leave the United Kingdom! Nor was he meant to get his titles! But his blasted mother managed to ensure that no matter what happened, he would get his titles and inheritance, no matter his age, should anything happen to her.

Many times she tried to escape with Severus, the same amount of times she tried to seek the IWC in whichever country she fled to. Only for the British DMLE to catch up with her and force her to return with Severus.

The tracking spells always did the trick!  
Her maternal father was always telling her that she could do whatever she wanted to in life, as he was all she had growing up.  
Eileen never knew who sired her, so Severus doesn’t know who the other grandfather was.

I deliberately made it that way, because the siring shouldn’t have happened in the first place! But it did! And the moronic Prince kept the pregnancy! Knowing he was well within his right to!  
He accepted that his daughter was sired from ‘rape’.  
Rape?

That is not how it looked when he was begging for me... opening his legs all wide, showing his wet, unaware that it was me, for I had disguised myself when I saw him all near passing out, so I helped him to a quiet place with a bed and... Well...

When he came to much later, he yells at me, had security try and detain me for raping a male bearer. I hadn’t even claimed him in full! I should have!

But, because of what he was, he had the power to strip me of seeing him and contacting him ever again. When I learned he was carrying our child, I did try and have this overturned, only for him to strongly oppose and said that unless I was willing to fully identify myself as the one who sired through rape, I need not bother.

When Eileen came to Hogwarts, I could see straight off that she had parts of me within her, with her blue eyes and slim tone. She had glamour to make herself look unattractive, but I knew she was very pretty underneath.

To my dismay, she was sorted into Slytherin House.  
I watched on, discovering just how much of a genius she was and very academic. She was polite and well mannered. But she did have an ambitious streak, which is perhaps what had her sorted into the House of the Snake in the first place.

This I could look past within my own child, though she had no idea I was even her paternal father, thanks to the ungrateful slut, Augustus Prince!  
But what I couldn’t stand for was her attraction to a certain boy who was a few years higher than her. Or rather, his attraction to her!

Then there was Poppy Pomfrey, Eileen’s best friend, who transferred from Russia, and was sorted into Ravenclaw. I know full well that she was helping the pair meet with each other.

I was extremely glad when the boy had graduated, meaning that it was the end of Eileen seeing him!  
How I was livid when I learn that it wasn’t the case!

Upon Eileen’s seventeenth birthday, I learn that she became wedded to the very boy, against my constant warnings not to defy me! Only have the silly girl tell me that I am not her father, and I couldn’t tell her what to do!

Augustus learned of my trying to interfere, and literally encouraged Eileen to move out of the UK, taking her new husband with her. The husband had ambitions outside of the area, so this was fitting apparently.

Poppy rejected my offers to woo her, but I had managed to trick her into becoming someone else’s wife instead. Though he was a nice man and treated her well, he knew what would happen if he fell behind in his debt to me... and just so happens, many years later...

In the meantime, Eileen and her husband came back to the United Kingdom, for she wanted to be close to her father, hearing through the grapevine that she was in the very early stages of pregnancy and was very happy about it.

I certainly was not!  
_No!_

She can’t be carrying the spawn of that boy! I know he’s now a man, but to me he will always be a boy! That boy! Who was defiant and smooth to me the moment I first met him, ungrateful as he was when I tried to offer my guidance to help him get his things ready for Hogwarts when I found him in that orphanage.

The marriage had to end!  
That baby cannot know about its true heritage!

Poppy Pomfrey learned of my plans and tried to stop them, but was too late to stop me from forcing my daughter away from Tom Riddle, having a trusted Minister member annul the marriage and force her to be wedded to a Muggle who would keep her in check, because of a promise he made to me when I helped him out of a tight spot.

What of Augustus?

The poor chap suffered a heart attack... or was it a fatal stroke? Either way, he died, so he couldn’t get in the way.  
Eileen was force fed potions that would render her unable to speak of her unborn baby’s true father, and it would never know!  
She did deliberately give the child her maiden name ‘Prince’, to protect him when he was finally born.

Plus, of course, I have been hounded by Tom Riddle ever since, which seemed to have sparks a bit of a war.  
But, for as long as I live, Tom, or Voldemort as he now fashions himself as, will never know about his wife’s child, his own son, Severus, being very much alive and healthy... and out of my grasp thanks to a pair of wretched women who couldn’t accept things the way they’re meant to be!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really dropped _that_ bombshell now didn't I?


	11. A Simple Few Days

Chapter 11  
A Simple Few Days

_Remus’s POV:_

I nearly jumped out of the bed when I saw the person right next to me when I woke up, I must have made a startled noise or something, because he woke up and looked at me rather confused.

“What’s wrong?”  
“Who are you?”  
He makes a face. “Last I checked I am Severus, your mate.”  
“But... your face is different.”

Looking at me wasn’t Severus’s usual face, instead I was looking at something that came out of a fairy tale, or a male model, with his perfectly good looks; not that he didn’t look that way before – I mean there was something rather appealing about his nose and crooked teeth.

Severus, thankfully, understood what I meant.  
“It seems the spells that keep my true identity no longer have any effect on you since becoming completely bonded.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Before I was born someone did something to make me look more like the stand in sperm donor than the real person who sired me,” Severus answers, he was propped up, hand under the head to anchor it. “Only certain people, such as my mother, know of my real features.”

“Hasn’t she told you of who she was with before your father?”  
“She’s been forced to keep that from me. But she was able to let slip that I am not the son of Tobias Snape and that she was forcefully taken away from her real husband, the marriage illegally annulled, not that anyone could prove that it was illegal, and if it does come to light, I learned that it could still cause trouble with my mother, because of being illegally married to two men,” I see his face frown deeply at this.  
“Whoever did this was very hell bent on making sure they were in control over my Mum... and probably tried to have a hold over me, but Mum spoiled that part for them.”

He sounded rather pleased by that knowledge.  
“Would you like to know the truth?” I ask.  
“More for peace of mind than actual pursuit of something that might not be of my liking, I guess,” he replies fairly. “I hope this doesn’t change anything between you and me.”

I scoot a little closer, until I could feel his arms around my waist, while my own went around his, kissing him.  
“It will take me some getting used to,” I do admit. “But after everything, especially last night, I would like to now think of it as the mask completely coming off to show the real face to the man who showed me his true self before that.”  
“Mmm, a metaphor,” I hear him approve.

I guide his hand to my abdomen. “My only hope is your seed taking hold within me.”  
He pecks me a few times, saying that we will have many chances show this one not take hold.  
“Remember, if needed, I can be the one to carry our children. You are my equal, Remus, and I want you to always remember that,” he also reminds me.

However in saying that he does move down and places deep kisses into my belly.  
“Should you take hold, however, I will welcome you just the same,” he speaks to it.  
I lie there as he continued to kiss and stroke my belly... and lower down, enjoying the moment.

It felt only a lifetime ago when Black, Potter and Pettigrew did what they did to me. I call them by their last names, because they do not deserve to be recognised by their first the way they once did by me.

It was the knock on the door that disturbed us.  
“I think it is time to get out of bed,” I groan, not wanting to have this end.

###

For most of the morning we received the deliveries of the stuff we purchased the day before, placing them where they we wanted them and positioned them that fit in place.

Severus tuned in the television when it was set up, and the first thing we get introduced to was a bloke standing in front of a set of sticks, holding another bigger weird shaped stick, with another one standing at the other end, (also holding a big stick), and some other bloke running up and tossing a red coloured ball at the one who was ready and I hear this crack of sorts and the ball was flying in the air – straight into the hands of some other bloke in the field.

“Nice catch!” Severus remarks.  
“What is this?”  
Severus looked at me with slight amusement. “You come from the same country as I do, yet you don’t know what cricket is?”  
“Apparently not,” I answer, unsure how to feel about the lack of knowledge of certain things, but it was perhaps I was more concerned getting through day by day to take notice.

Already analysing this, Severus starts off by explaining who the two teams were – Australia and England.  
“Australia will always be green and gold, with the test matches, like this one, look for the baggy green. England is that royal blue or whatever shade it is. There are other countries, but I’ll get to those later...”  
For most of the day, unless we were answering the door or organising stuff, Severus and I watched cricket.

Wasn’t sure if it was really a sport for me to stay interested in, but at least I got to learn something new, and something that Severus actually enjoyed being a spectator to.  
That night we had received an owl, actually it was a tawny frog mouth, telling us that we will be met with the day after tomorrow by members of the Australian Ministry and the ICW.

“Meaning, if you like we can really introduce you to this place?” Severus suggests.  
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see this place I am to be calling home and get to know it, so I agreed.

###

I liked the camping area of the property, meeting some of the workers who kept the place maintained and organised, from Leanne the Head Cleaning Maid and three of her workers of the days, Sharon, Kim and Gary who makes sure the cabins were spick and speck, to the receptionists, Roland and Trudy.

There were a few guests staying, but not many.  
“They usually start coming a few days before Christmas,” Roland says. “We’ve been organising the shindig since September, so the kiddos and the like get some good stuff if they happen to be at the park on actual Christmas Day.”  
“Let’s not forget New Year’s Eve, either, always a ripper event here!” Trudy adds.  
“Just make sure you’re not straining yourselves,” Severus says to them, turning to Roland. “Especially with the way your heart has gone of late.”  
“Meh, I’m still functioning, Sevvo, don’t you worry about this old fart,” Roland brushes his hand at the concern and chuckles.

“Sevvo?” I had to ask when we left the front desk.  
Severus shrugs and explains; “Australians have an interesting way of handing out nicknames. I’ve been getting Sevvo since my first visit here, and it stuck, Roland goes by Rollo by most. Do not be surprised if you get your own quintessential Australian nickname at some point.”

Over at the animal section, I was already feeling like I didn’t want to leave.  
I met Mark, Lauren, Ian, Carol and the rest of the team who made up the vets and carers of centre.  
But it was the little koala joey that started in my staying for longer than I cared to think for.

Dubbed ‘Blinky Bill’ after a character, the poor thing was found inside his mother’s pouch, mother was unfortunately dead and Blinky Bill was lucky to have been take to this place, as he was one sick little koala joey, but is now thriving after a few short weeks of being here.  
Turned out they didn’t just treat the wild animals, (though I learned later that Blinky Bill would likely be re-homed to an animal sanctuary later, as he may not have much chance surviving in the wild being mostly hand raised), they helped domestic animals, too. Rescue cats and dogs, even surrendered ones.  
I even saw an actual bull, or steer I should say, as he had been neutered, in one of the larger pens.

“What’s wrong with him?”  
“He was rescued from a wannabe hobby farmer who had no idea how to maintain their animals,” said Carol. “All of the animals were seized, from Tank here, to some underweight chickens.”  
“What is going to happen to Tank?”  
“Once he meets all the checks and given a good bill of health, he’s going to be relocated to an actual farm where he can live the rest of his years in comfort.”  
“So, not going to be on someone’s dinner plate, then?” says Severus.  
Carol rolls her eyes. “I am not going to entertain your dark humour, Severus.”

All in all, Severus literally had to drag me away.  
“I think you have found your calling, Remus,” he did tell me when we reached our house.  
“How so?”

“I’ve been watching you the entire time in there, offering a hand with the koala, to Jess helping clean out and freshen one of the dog pens, because she had one heck of a job with it. You were even worried about Tank the bull ending up in an abattoir, though I know you like your rump steaks.  
“I forgot to mention that there is a strong rule and it’s one that I kept when I found out about it. Under no circumstances are any of the animals to be sent to a slaughterhouse. The other is save them as best as possible, only euthanize if it is absolutely necessary.  
“Another is if you are caught abusing the animals in anyway, you’re sacked on the spot!”

Listening to Severus had me in awe.

But he was correct on one thing, perhaps I did find my calling. It was probably there before I knew it was when I helped that crow and the squirrel, and how I loved Care for Magical Creatures and learning how to look after them, and the other creatures in the Defence against the Dark Arts class.  
Maybe it was because I was part creature myself?

I don’t know, but today with the animal centre and doing what I was able to do, gave me something that I could have only dreamed for once upon a time. A chance to pursue a career in something that I felt had purpose.  
And for the first time, someone encouraged it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Describing cricket from Remus's view had be in tears of laughter.


	12. Meeting, Knowing and Charging

Chapter 12  
Meeting, Knowing and Charging

_Severus’s POV;_

Meeting with the Australian division of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was a little nerve tingling, I will not lie.  
Same shall be said when the International Confederation of Wizards.  
_BUT!_  
As much as it was heart pounding, it was bloody fucking worth it!

They had received the evidence both from Madam Pomfrey and from our own accounts, not just from what happened to Remus a few days earlier, but to them learning of Fenrir Greyback gaining access to the school, when there was protection in place for him to not be able to enter, only Remus was meant to have such allowance, being a student, despite his furry little problem once a month.

Between the two of us, they had gotten so much more than what they had been getting from the British sector, and were always road blocked, ‘missing documents’ and the excuse of the war that was brewing, yet no-one was giving the ICW the complete reasons as to why this war was happening in the first place.  
Remus over what he experienced, with being inflicted with lycanthropy and how that was handled.

“You mean no-one sort to do anything after your attack? Your parents?” he was asked.  
My mate shook his head, and replied with; “No. No-one, not even my parents, did anything to sort prosecution, too much hassle, especially on a child who should have died.”  
Then my own background, with Mum’s inability to seek help, gagged to remain silent, even to me.

“The last time she tried to seek help outside of the United Kingdom, she was...” I could feel a bitter tear going down my cheek. “She knows that I am her son, but she her memory has been left completely scattered, and no-one is willing to try and attempt in removing whatever is causing it, keeping her in a home, where I have tried to get her out on many occasions when I turned sixteen, only to be refused every time.”

When the five visitors were satisfied with everything, it was nearly over. Their final thing before leaving was giving Remus a single gold stud in his left earlobe.

“This will help when the next full moon comes,” he was told. “Though pregnancy will stop the transformation temporarily, this will help keep it at bay almost permanently when not pregnant.”  
“Almost?” asks Remus.

“After every third cycle, you will need to make sure you are safe away from people, as the earring will not be active, it seems to like to recharge, but it is the latest of the stuff that has been worked on over the years to help werewolves have the ability to live like anyone, and everyone, else. Do not worry, the earring changes after each phase to signify when it is time to seek a holding cell or sorts, it's yellow gold now, but after the next phase it will have changed to a more rose gold, the second it will be white gold. But, in case you are to be pregnant, it will add a gemstone, starting with the month of conception, and the stone changes with each passing month until birth, once born the earring will turn to yellow gold to start the process of the first phasing.”

“Never knew that I would even have an earring,” Remus mutters, playing with the new piece of jewellery, unsure how to feel about it, but grateful all the same.  
“What happens now?” I ask.

“We will do what we can between now and the next few weeks. Given the time of the year we do tend to get understaffed and stretched, so some things do take time. No fault of our own, it is simply how it works. Do not worry, there will be someone on the case, regardless of the time it takes, and not everyone celebrates the holidays, though we do encourage family time and so forth, to be far on them.  
“We do like to pride ourselves to being fair. You might hear back from us just before the New Year, if not, you can count on us being in touch on either the third or fourth of January, with some written updates in the meantime.”

Remus and I thank them and watch them go.  
It did feel as though some weight at been lifted, but it didn’t stop the slight nervousness that I was feeling about all of this.  
I just hope that whatever happens, we don’t have to go back to the United Kingdom.

###

_Remus’s POV:_

I could feel my legs being separated a little, just enough for a hand to slide in between them and cup my testicles from behind. I widen my legs a little more to allow better access. Though we had properly bonded and have a very high chance of having a pregnancy in the making, my heat hadn’t fully subsided yet – heat can go somewhere between four to five days for bearers like me and Severus.

Severus was gentle with me, holding me close to him, while massaging me, kissing the back of my neck and shoulders and upper back.  
I don’t open my eyes, letting a sound escape from me, enjoying the touch, becoming wet, which was enticing enough for a finger to slide right on into me. I arch a little, before easing back and on to the finger more.  
He was slow at first; careful to add the second finger, and began to scissor.

I am not sure what noises I was making, but fuck I didn’t care! Severus knew I loved the impaling he was giving, because he just kept going; until he pulled them out entirely, to quickly move me just right in order to insert his penis, to where I once again held him in and not let go, bringing the hand that was fingering me before around to pump my own.

“Severus,” I say in a moan, feeling him release into me, as I, too, squirted upon his hand and sheets.  
He softly presses lips into me and whispers; “Was that satisfactory my wolf?”  
“Yes, my prince,” I answer, slightly panting.

I knew he wouldn’t be able to exit out of my body for a little longer, but it wouldn’t have mattered, for it was upon that moment when I just knew that something more than just his seed had entered into me.  
I could just sense the difference within...

“A girl...” I speak the words.  
“Pardon?”  
I crane my head back a little, as I guide Severus’s hand to my abdomen.  
“Within me, though only just started and yet to settle into my womb, is to be our daughter,” my words spoke in a way that there was no doubting in what I was saying. “I hope you don’t mind it being a girl.”

Severus shifted just enough to be able to look at me, his hand still on my belly.  
“If I am to sire only daughters, then that is what I am to be blessed with. I shall be looking forward to meeting our little Chérie when the time comes,” he says, before peppering me with kisses, rubbing the area where our child would be growing.

This eases me. I was afraid that Severus would be unhappy with me. Many who claim male bearers want sons first. Why that is, I do not know, because there are chances that those sons may be bearers themselves, but it seemed that if a girl was first, the sub was ‘punished’ for it, as if they’re the ones who controlled the outcome of what grows within them.

When Severus said the words he spoke, I knew that once again, I was with someone who wanted me and desired me and approved of me! And of our daughter to be...  
“Remus?”  
I didn’t know that I was crying; it seems to be a thing with me.  
“Oh, my wolf!”  
Severus couldn’t dislodge, but he was still able to make sure I was fully in his embrace as he could muster.

###

_Dumbledore’s POV:_

Christmas came and went without too much incident.  
I had been able to persuade the board to allow Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter to stay and complete their education, explaining that it was boys being boys, and since Remus Lupin wasn’t available to speak on his own behalf, there was really no reason to expel them, let alone suspend them.  
I knew Minerva was not pleased by this outcome, but what could she do?

Poppy went back to being the stern nurse, but not defying me and trying to go behind my back over stupid nonsense.  
But, she wasn’t able to tell me where Severus Snape and Remus Lupin had gone.  
No matter! I have people in search for them. It is only a matter of time before they are dragged back to where they belong!  
I can only hope that I can have them separated, permanently.  
The werewolf needs to be with the packs, bonded to Greyback!

If that stupid boy, Severus, had sired a pregnancy... well... it would be his fault for taking something that wasn’t intended for him. Plus, it would stop any chance of Riddle’s bloodline from continuing, even if Severus had no idea.  
Thankfully the boy took on his adoptive father’s looks and that unattractiveness Eileen liked to put on to divert attention from her beauty. Hmm, guess there is a setback to using too much glamour.  
Right now, all I wish to do is relax.

I reclined back, feet up on my desk with ankles crossed, book in my hand, sipping one of my favourite cocktails, 'a suffering bastard'.  
The door to my office then opened and I see someone I had not expected to see.  
He was average in height, rounded face with equally rounded glasses and was in his mid-fifties.  
“Kevin Fisher.”

But he was not alone, entering were people I was vaguely familiar with, others not.  
“What is the meaning of this?” I say.  
“Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, we are here to serve you with your immediate dismissal as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are also serving for the immediate arrest of Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter, as well as yourself,” Kevin spoke in a tone that I was not thrilled to hear.  
“On what grounds?” I demand in a smooth tone.

“On the grounds of enabling the attempted rape and alleged assault; attempted murder, or aiding in the attempt of murder and covering it up. Withholding information that is meant to be forwarded to authorities. Rape and assault, grievous bodily harm, fraud and other illegal activity, including kidnapping and the annulling of a husband and wife that wasn’t within yours, or that of those who’ve helped you, to enact it.  
“Enabling a fugitive to get away after the attempted rape upon a student... a male bearer, which is as high of an offence as those who interfere with a bonding in process, which is something you tried to do through others, including your own self.”

“I object to those claims! Who is pressing these false accusations?”  
That was when I see Poppy Pomfrey enter, alongside Minerva McGonagall and...  
“No!” I say in horror.


	13. Some Development

Chapter 13  
Some Development

_Tom Riddle’s POV;_

Albus Dumbledore.  
So many words I could use to describe this absurd, insidious, narcissistic ilk of a man!  
The bastard has many to believe that I am this insane, power-hungry man, with a want to dominate and rule with only purebloods. Rid those who are not of worth!

_Ha!_  
If that was the sheer on case, I wouldn’t be associating with certain ‘undesirables’ as my Death Eaters would call them.  
Did I start this war?  
Clearly they’re forgetting how much tension things had gotten many years before I was even mentioned!

All I did was come back to the United Kingdom, upon my wife’s wishes to be close to her father, whom I have the greatest respect for! The man singlehandedly raised the woman, who would become my wife; he was a male bearer with no partner! That was no easy feat to bear, but he did it! Even with all the harsh judgment and all, he raised one of the most respectable and wonderful people I had the pleasure to meet, and marry!

Eileen and I did not intend on becoming man and wife, but as we got to know each other, it felt right!  
Underneath her glamour I saw her for her!  
Her silky black hair, her simple nose and high cheekbones, she was petite, but with some curve to her. She was more than her looks, so I discovered first, she had a drive within her, a fire that duly fit the Slytherin House!

She, at first, wasn’t even looking for love, neither was I, our meeting started in the library at Hogwarts, where I was having trouble figuring out a potions ingredient and she offered to help me. Here was a first year student speaking to a fourth year, and knew advanced potions!  
That’s where it started.  
From there it grew.

Of course, because of her age, I stayed away as long as possible. But as the years progressed, the more it became obvious.  
We shared our first kiss when I was in my sixth year, she her third.  
We didn’t make love, however, until we were wedded. She was still sixteen, but with her father’s blessing, (and the fact that fifteen was the permitted age for marriage within the Wizarding world at the time), we were happy.  
Eileen never held me back on my ambition to learn outside of the country of our origins, she had her own, of course. Together we strived to ensure we got our balance, even with a few disagreements, there was always a way to compromise.

She was happy.  
I was happy.  
When I learned that she was carrying my seed within her womb, I was overjoyed.  
I don’t care what anyone else was led to believe about me and how I would turn out if I were to ever have a child! Use my upbringing against me! Dumbledore and his fucking sheep! Interfering where they could with my union to Eileen, as if they had any say!

Part of why Eileen and I left!  
No crackpot fool was going to get his way! Not on this!  
Unfortunately, not long after my wife and I arrived back to the UK, I was pounced upon, slapped with some trumped up charges and hauled away to face the Ministry Law Enforcers; where I was held for two whole weeks!

I was questioned! Again and again!  
I was forced to sign some documents that I wasn’t allowed to read.  
In all this time I demanded to know how my wife was, as she would be worried. I was worried for her!  
When I was finally let go, that was when I learned of what truly happened.

They kidnapped by pregnant wife, tricked her, like they tricked me, and up until this day I had no idea what happened to her.  
For all of these years I had been searching for any shred of truth, only to be blocked at every turn.  
I didn’t know if my wife and our child were safe.

I didn’t know if I had a son or a daughter! I was robbed of so many moments from my first hold to the first words to be spoken.  
Then tensions began to brew within the community, yet because of my extremely vocal contempt, (due to what was happening to me), they pinned me as the reason for the troubles, backed and encouraged by Albus Dumbledore.

Yes, I had the nickname Voldemort, it came by accident in my last year at Hogwarts, when a group of us were playing around with our names to see if we can come up with new names or even a silly sentence. Immature, maybe, but it passed the time, and well... Lord Voldemort sounded rather sophisticated, though I didn’t think I fancied myself as a Lord by any means.

Even if I am the Heir of Slytherin.  
Yet, it became the name others decided to use and fear.  
I chose to take advantage of this, didn’t know I was going to get a following out of it, but so be it!  
I wanted to know the truth of what had happened to my wife and child! I had no intentions of starting a war, which I didn’t! Nor did I intend on joining it... it just bloody happened!

_Fuck!_  
Had Dumbledore and those slime balls stopped fighting for this so called ‘greater good’ shit, and pissed off with their meddling, this wouldn’t have happened!  
They wonder as to why the Australian Department of Magical Law Enforcement, with the International Confederation of Wizards... and some members of the Wizengamot, showed up in their homes or places of employment, being taken in for questioning.

For this particular one, I wanted him to see me, for when I caught wind of two young wizards managing to escape Hogwarts after an incident, which could have ended in disaster, and spoke up, with the help of a couple of members from the staff faculty, particularly one Poppy Pomfrey, who helped Eileen and myself on so many occasions until things turned to dust, I had to make my move and speak to whomever I was able to.

Whatever bars that had been in place were lifted somehow.  
Now...?  
I see the horror within those blue eyes behind the half moon glasses of the man who played so many.  
I smirk a little, but say nothing, as Albus Dumbledore was forced to get up from his seat and placed under a magic binding charm that prevented him from escaping.  
Humph!

To think that he tried to get me interested in the very idea of Horcruxes!  
Oh! I was interested... but... I didn’t have time to endeavour in something like that; no matter how pestering the old coot got.  
I will soon learn of what has happened to Eileen and our child – though they would be well into their late teens now, almost of age.

###

_Remus’s POV:_

Once again, I lost my dinner!  
Managed to eat it... only to see it going back out, into the toilet bowl an hour later.  
Regurgitated meat and pasta, ever wonderful on the after taste! _NOT!_

For the first few weeks of my sensing that I was pregnant, all I felt was a slight niggling of discomfort inside me, where I did see a bit of discharge, (where I panicked and was told by a Healer who came that it was implantation bleeding and that it was normal for some to get it), and a slight copper taste at the back of my mouth.  
Though within the week leading up to it really hitting into reality, the nausea and heartburn came, mostly in the evening.

Much like now, only this was actual throwing up, not just nausea.  
Good Merlin! Does every pregnancy end up with hugging a toilet bowl? I had to wonder.  
“Are you okay?” I hear the question from the bathroom door.  
“I think our little miss wasn’t keen on beef again,” I mutter to Severus. “Either that, or the pasta this time.”  
“Did you need me to get some ginger ale for you?”

I was about to reply, only to turn back to the bowl, feeling that tickling feeling and more of the contents came up, but not much, thankfully.  
When I knew I was done, I flushed the toilet and went to splash my face with cool water.  
It was rather warm tonight! Don’t think it was helping me right now.  
“Cool down in the shower, I’ll get the ginger ale and have it on the bedside table, along with the tonic the Healer prescribed to help you with that nausea and heartburn,” Severus tells me.

I don’t object.  
The lukewarm of the water did help, as did curling up into bed afterward.  
I saw the glass of ice and ginger ale, and slowly went to take a few slow sips. That did help!  
“Maybe I can be the one to suffer with the next one?” Severus partly quips entering the room with a small bowl of sweets and fruits, and the little bottle of potion meant for aiding off nausea and morning sickness... even though this is night-time sickness.

“Be careful, I might be holding you to that if it were to ever come up in the future,” I reply with a small flick of a smile, settling my head back down on the pillow after taking two drops of the potion, which is all I needed it seemed, as it was already starting to take the edge off.  
Severus settles next to me, he had set a television up in our room so we could watch movies here, instead of in the lounge room, and I couldn’t pass up moving to rest against him, which he didn’t object.

“I don’t think you’ll have to, Remus,” he replies, in gentle seriousness. “As we’re both capable of bearing, so why not have me bear our next one?”  
“Only if you want to, Severus,” I reply.  
“Perhaps two to three years after this one is born,” his hand rests on my belly, which he’s been doing a lot since confirming through Healers of this pregnancy.  
“You’re not worried about us being dragged back to England before then?” I say, unable to hide the worry.

Severus furrows his brow and shakes his head. “We’re safe here, Remus. The Australian Ministry and the ICW, as well as some of the genuine, not so Dumbledore arse lickers after all, explained that to us.”  
“I know they did,” I sigh, looking at him. “But... I can’t help but worry all the same.”  
“I understand my wolf.”

On the third of January we were met with the people of the ICW and Australian Ministry to inform of what has happened and the proceedings that was to take place in a matter of weeks, perhaps months, depending on how things pan out.  
“We had no idea on just how much of an influence Albus Dumbledore even had over the British sector; it nearly got pretty hostile with some of the Wizengamot members who believed that we were being pedantic in the ‘most monotonous of things’. Couldn’t believe that we would ‘have the audacity’ to arrest students who were being boys, not seeming to want to grasp on the gravity of the situation.

“You do, however, have your supporters, but because we wish to keep your location safe, and what helps is that you’re under a different names, with them not aware that you are legally married as a result of that change.

“What will also be on your side is that you do not have to travel all the way to England if you are called as witnesses to any of those who would be standing trial. Something the British Ministry seems to wish to keep blocked and force the witnesses to come in... They forget that most Australians were once from the same region, but decided to progress, instead of stay stuck in the past and as a result, are a little more with power, so to speak. Power is not the best word to describe, but the closest I can come up with.”

This meant that if we wanted to, Severus and I were every bit welcome to stay in Australia and live out our lives. Finish our studies, which we both wanted to do, pursue work and whatever else.  
They were strong in reminding me that I wasn’t in the United Kingdom and that I was just as welcome to have a job and earn, like everyone else in the country.

The first day of the trial wouldn’t take place until February; and as far as we were aware, we weren’t called for yet, but we were welcome to attend nonetheless.  
“Plus, it would be best if you stayed close with the Healers who have your best interests in mind.”  
There wasn’t really any need to hide much in learning that Severus and I were permanently together now, and were expecting – due to how I was appearing when they did visit.

“Why don’t we settle down to watching Raiders of the Lost Ark?” Severus then suggests.  
We’ve been keen to watch the two Indiana Jones movies that were out on video, so decided to use tonight as a good excuse to watch the first one.  
It wasn’t long before my mind had shifted to seeing the Harrison Ford character running away from the huge boulder in the Amazonian Temple – at least I am going to assume it’s Amazonian.

“Oh, you wimp!” Severus calls at the television when the character looked like he wanted to jump out of the little plane at the sight of a snake, causing me to snort.  
Trust the one who was sorted into the Snake House to be a little irked by someone being repulsed by the legless creatures.  
“If it was something bigger than that, I’d be more sympathetic!” he adds.  
“So, if the snake was venomous?”  
Severus thought on this, and saw my point.

“Speaking of snakes...” I then say, moving up enough to start kissing him. “Don’t think I had forgotten what tomorrow is.”  
Severus groans a little. “What are you planning?”  
“Mmm, right now... a small early bout of enjoyment,” I say, as my hand slid down and into his pants.  
He closed his eyes at the sudden grasping of my hand around him and light stroking.  
“I just don’t want you to exert yourself,” he mutters, head against the bed head, looking right at me.  
“I won’t be, I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... Yeah... um... Voldy isn't some insane moron here... thought on how to get inside that man's head... and this came out... (fun and joys of trying to be in first person...), so guess we're going with no Horcrux and not so bad after all...
> 
> And the year is now 1987, took me a bit to figure which decade to place this story in that was going to work, though there is a chance that some of the shops mentioned earlier may not have existed back then, so I guess a bit of fudging is involved...


	14. Deep in Thought

Chapter 14  
Deep in Thoughts

Severus’s POV;

Not for the first time over the past few weeks had I heard, or watched, Remus rush to the bathroom.

Most of these occurred early in the evenings, with the occasional first thing in the morning. However I think the morning ones are a knock on effect from the night before. In some cases it came down to something he ate and our dear daughter-to-be clearly didn’t agree with it.

The poor bloke wasn’t allowed beef in any form; not beef mince, or a T-bone, none of it, for it would come straight back up. Other food aversion included carrots, anything that had garlic, even the smallest hint, and, much to Remus’s annoyance, tea; he loves drinking tea, but the pregnancy was wreaking havoc on that.

Yet with any food or other he found to not be able to enjoy, he found things he could. He was one happy camper to know that chocolate was a very much a welcome item, the other was crispy bacon and various fruit juices. Guess our little girl really likes bacon, because it ended up being on the must have list every two to three days for Remus, along with his craving for ice cream, almost didn’t matter on the flavour.

He was also starting to ‘get better’ if there was a way to describe the change within himself.  
I could see that it was more than this pregnancy he was carrying out.  
Though he would still likely to have setbacks, and it was still ‘early days’ he was learning and beginning to trust and see that not everyone was going to use him, abuse him or an of the fucked up shit he was put through.  
Getting him away from the UK, Hogwarts especially, was the best call to have made for my mate. _He needed this!_

In the space of the number of weeks, other than dealing with the changes his body was going through for our child, he had grown in confidence.  
I had seen that it was deep in there. He did have his own strength, his own dreams and needs. He just needed to be given the opportunity he was not getting before.  
Though he could not do much out of safety reasons, he was still able to find ways to help at the animal shelter. It seemed to give Remus a reason to have a real goal and purpose; other than being a good mate and maternal father.

We had not stopped our education. We both wanted to complete it and achieve that ability to move on to the next stages in our life goals.  
Being in Australia, which I think is perfect, (and I was told it used to be a thing at Hogwarts), was that we could do a work experience or placement of sorts. Meaning gain our Masters and whatever else on top of our subjects. It’s well organised to prevent work overload, unneeded stress and ensuring that we have our goals met. This does include any event of those goals changing; it can be sorted to be a smooth transition.

I, myself, have always wanted to have my Masters in Potions, as well as gain other Masters in the Dark Arts, both defence and offence, and of course herbology and other subjects that would help in potion making, and keep my skills in charms and the rest.

Remus, perhaps, was still looking for what he wanted to Master in, if able. He already knew his passion for helping animals, so finding what can be related to this can be a good step. One, I think, he took upon himself. He didn’t need prompting, just my encouragement and support – which he had without needing to ask, or feel that there were any strings attached.

It still broke my heart at times to hear Remus believing he still needed some form of permission, or validation, to do something, whatever it was, because it was still in his system.  
There was one incident where we had a rather heated argument, what it was over, I cannot remember, but it was enough for Remus to walk away, not wanting to continue, and I believe we just needed to cool off, and I really didn’t think much of it after that.  
At first, I didn’t anyway.

It was not until almost a good hour or just over that when I start to wonder where Remus was. I search the house, only to find him trembling in the storage area of the house, as if he was hiding.  
“I’m sorry! I won’t do that again! Please don’t hurt me!” I hear him say, voice in utter disarray and despair.  
He was sitting on the ground with his back was toward me, I wasn’t even sure if he knew I was there, let alone heard him. His hands were covering his head, as though protecting it, and hunched over.  
Disturbing was one word to use to see this scene before me.  
“Please let me out! I’ll be good!” I also hear.  
It clicked then.

Shit!  
I go in and gently place my hands on his shoulders. He flinches, until he hears me say his name.  
“S-Severus?” his voice was so low. “I -”  
“Shh!” I say, pulling him into my arms, and getting us to both to sit on the ground to save both our legs. “You’re safe my wolf.”  
“I didn’t mean -”  
“I know, Remus, just as I didn’t mean to make you think you were in any trouble,” I assure. “All we had was an argument. You are not to blame for expressing how you felt in that moment, nor am I. This may be something that we may deal with in overcoming these flashbacks if there are to be any other heated quarrels in the future.”

“But... I’m... I don’t want to get into trouble,” he mutters.  
I frown a little at this. “Get into trouble for what? Speaking up? Remus, you are as human as I am. You do not need to fear me.”  
“I know. I just...” Remus trails off, trying to piece together what he wanted to say.

I get him to look at me. “You had a setback, or a flashback; whichever. You will be able to learn ways to cope and get through; especially if there is a disagreement as escalated as the one just before.  
“While I can hope they never happen again, it is not something that can be predicted.  
“But do know that I will never raise a hand to you. Know that you will never have to put up with the shit you have from the fuckwits who saw to be nothing bud dicks and cause grief.”  
I place my hand on his belly. “You are way too important to be to ever want that for you and to her! I love you, Remus! Don’t ever think otherwise!”

Remus places his head on my shoulder. Quiet, but I can sense the change. Grateful, relieved and assured.  
Interesting how later that night we were fucking the other stupid; being mindful of course. Yet, it was needed. Particularly when it was another noticing sign of my mate’s in libido being nearly on overdrive since becoming pregnant; apparently normal for some, my only concern was Remus overdoing it. Thankfully he had me to guide him out of such tendencies, along with any assurances he needed on top of this, too.

Those last few weeks have also been the quietest, too. So it was a bit of a shift when we received the news of what has been happening over in the UK.  
Albus Dumbledore has been placed into Azkaban Prison. He has been charged with a long string of offences. His trial will begin in a matter of days.  
Remus and I were informed that there will be a high chance of being called up to testify on our statements and accounts. Again, we were assured we will not have to leave the safety of Australia.  
The Australian Ministry were not going to risk the chance of us being blocked and held up somewhere, unable to be released. Learning very quickly on the tactics the British branch has, and will use, to get their way.

Yet, we were hearing of rumours on how that was being cracked down upon, since the IWC had stepped in and were ensuring a strong hold on things, in the hopes that whatever corruption that has been going on is stamped out. It would be a hard one to accomplish, but on that can, hopefully, is put to a minimum. However, even then, there were certain channels and powers the IWC could and could not do and use, so it was a tricky balance.

Either way, I am relieved beyond words to know that Remus and I are safe.  
I think this as I lie on the bed, with my mate in my arms, completely naked; my hand protective upon his starting to swell abdomen.

From the checkups that have been carried out so far, all is well with both of them. Remus has fully taken to the embedding and growing of our daughter, developing within his womb. This was very good news and something that seemed to help in healing my mate’s state of mind in ways, too. Other than figuring what he wants to do once our NEWTS have been complete, he had a current purpose and one that he could look forward to.

Yet, I worry of what this next number of weeks, with the trial, would do to him. Would they send him backwards?  
I look upon him, deep in his slumber, extremely at peace right now. My hand leaves his belly and I brush my fingers through his light brown coloured hair, he stirred only for a split moment, but didn’t wake, instead shifted a little more into me and settled.

I can only hope that he finds that same peace whilst in the waking world once this is done; for it wasn’t just Dumbledore who was facing trial. They had picked up a good number of people, including Potter, Black and Pettigrew.

I was not impressed when I read a small snippet in the Daily Prophet, (yes, I still request for this to keep as up to date as possible, even when in a different time zone), from something Lily Evans had said in defence to Potter and the other two.

“_Bitch!_” I had muttered, slamming the paper down that morning.  
Remus took it before I could try and hide it from him. He responded by just putting it back down and leaving the dining area, retreating to the lounge to try and move his mind away from what he had just read.

Only to find him close to being a wreck a few hours later, took a good ten minutes to calm him down and assure him that he was not the one at fault, that he wasn’t ‘damaged goods’ and the bitch had no fucking clue what she is even talking about, because of the ‘privileged’ life she had and her inability to think outside of it...  
Yeah... I can now see why there was no hope for that friendship to ever be rectified looking back on it.

Just as bad was her belief that male bearing was unnatural and freakish, even more with female sires; how amused I was when that comment was met with a huge wave of backlash, forcing the idiot to backtrack her statement, along with the statement that any child born from a male ought to be put out of its misery, because it’s not a real person or whatever crap she spilled out.

I think this with a tiny surge of annoyance and looking at the particular area of Remus’s belly. The little bean that will be our daughter is as real as we are, her heartbeats pumping, her brain growing, in time her little hands and feet and even her face will be forming. Not real my hidden vag!

What mostly set Remus off was how Lily believed that he was taking the foolishness the wrong way... right... like how I was taking it the wrong way when they hurled me up in the air upside down a couple of years back? Or their trying to pull my pants down?

That girl really needed a wakeup call!

One thing I did find interesting was learning one of the crimes Dumbledore had conspired, probably masterminded, in the separation of the Dark Lord, Voldemort, or rather, ‘Tom Riddle’, and his wife and child. They didn’t give the names of this wife and child, or rather, the wife, as the child apparently wasn’t born yet when the forced parting had occurred.

Possibly why the Wizard had been raging war, or one of the reasons.  
If I were being denied in knowing where my family was for over seventeen years, I’d want to do the same.  
“Severus?”

I move my head to see had Remus woken up and looking right at me.  
My hand cups his cheek; “I’m okay, my wolf,” I tell him.  
Seeming satisfied, he readjusts and goes back to sleep.  
If only he knew what was truly going on in my mind, as I continued to think and started to piece together the puzzle.


	15. Ruckus in Court

Chapter 15  
Ruckus in Court

Remus’s POV:

My hands were clenched as tight as I could make them, I could feel the anxiety within my chest, I wasn’t sure if I was sweating or not, but I did feel a touch warmer than I’d like.

“Take a deep slow breath, my wolf,” I hear him saying, feeling his hand taking one of mine.  
I close my eyes and do my best to follow this advice.  
“Are you ready?” I then hear a different voice.

I open my eyes to see the witch who was helping in overseeing the trials, especially since Severus and I were not leaving the shores of Australia, opting to use other methods of being able to stay not only in the loop, but able to do what we’re about to do, which was taking the stand.

When this became knowledge to us, I did all I could to stay calm; being assured by Severus, and others, that I was doing the right thing. Why does the right thing have to be so nerve-wracking?

My mouth seemed to have glued itself, leaving me unable to answer the witch, a middle-sized woman with dark blonde hair and kind face, who went by the name Fiona Hodge, so I just nod my head.

Ms Hodge gives me an encouraging smile.

We were in a specialised room that allowed us to see into the courtroom, and the courtroom would be able to see us in return upon entering it, (we were in a special waiting room before this). It was surreal on how they’ve managed to make it work, but it’s impressive, given the amount of charm and spell work that it would have had to have taken to pull off something as amazing as this.

If I wasn’t so nervous and concentrating on not thinking about the nausea, (as I wasn’t sure if that was my nerves, or my pregnancy, probably both), or what was about to happen, I’d be asking the ins and outs of what they actually did to make this connection happen.

I was led to the stand, my legs felt like lead as I walked, and my heart wanted to burst right out of my chest.  
Once seated on the chair, the questions began.

###

Tom Riddle’s POV;

Unbeknown to a great deal, I was among the people in the gallery watching the proceedings of the trial against Albus Dumbledore, and a good number of other wizards and witches who have been called out for their misdeeds.

One of them included a young wizard named Remus Lupin.

I peaked my head with interest when I saw him, as I could just make out a slight swelling within the belly area, indicating that he was somewhere between late first trimester to the beginning of second trimester of a pregnancy.

The questions and answers began.  
No doubt this young man was nervous, but he was holding his own as best as he could.

The questions given ranged to how he knew the various people, Albus Dumbledore, James Potter and so on; this included a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback, exposing this young man to being a werewolf; a confession that sent many into a flurry; shocked to how he could be allowed to be pregnant. Someone even called for the unborn to be aborted, because the child would be a monster.

I glowered at the person, for she was right next to me.  
“Only a monster would call for the end of the innocent life of a baby,” I snarl dangerously at the stupid woman.

I am not against abortion, for there are times were such things are necessary, but to speak like this crone, anger me.  
She cowered at my tone; she knew who I was as I dropped the glamour I had placed for a millisecond. She dared not say a word after that.

The young man could hear the buzzing, and practically shut down, going into some sort of shell, at this another young man appeared, literally storming into view, standing right in front of Remus.

“To the dunderheads wanting to have a go at Remus for being pregnant and a werewolf, I am bloody hell glad we are not over there in person! Or I would have cursed the lot of you!” he spoke in a clean cut voice that was both infuriated and deadly calm. He point at Remus Lupin. “_That_ is my husband and _my_ unborn kid you’re demanding blood over! Seems you are forgetting who is _actually_ on trial here!”

Pretty sure that this wasn’t supposed to happen.  
I had to admire this young man with black hair and dark eyes for standing up for his life partner.

Wait...

I sat and studied him from my position in the gallery.  
There was just something about him that really took my interest.

###

Severus’s POV:

In so many ways I have just been proven once again _WHY_ I am bloody glad the decision to get Remus out of the fucking UK was made!

_Bloody hell!_

The sheer audacity of these people! The utter gall to call for an end to my unborn child! To attack my mate the way they had!

I watched Remus retreating inwards, feeling the condemnation; I could just see how bad this was affecting him right now.  
_How dare them!_

How dare they say those things, when all he was doing was giving his evidence and witnessing accounts to crimes that had been committed against him! This was part of the trail against the accused!

Yet they want to go all lynch mob on Remus for explaining how he knew a _KNOWN_ criminal werewolf, who was the reason for his monthly torment!  
How...?  
_Ugh!_

When someone demanded to know who the hell I was, and why I would dare to fuck a werewolf, let alone impregnate one, (the dunderhead’s words, not mine), I didn’t hold back.

“Remus is my legally wedded spouse, and bearer to my unborn daughter, my future heiress, that is all you need for information regarding who I choose to be with.  
“But, since you are so keen to know who I am; I am Severus Thomas Marvolo Prince, I am the son of the once well known heiress, Eileen Vanessa Augusta Prince, grandson to Augustus Xavier Severus Prince, and the current Lord and Head of the Prince Household.

“Not only this, but it has just recently come to my attention, due to the discovery of certain documentations that many within this room had tried to keep hidden, in order to continue their deceitful ways of pulling the wool over the easily fooled, or to blackmail, that I am also an heir to the Dumbledore lineage, as the grandson to none other than Albus Dumbledore; thus confirmed by a simple blood test only three days ago.”

I paused to let this sink right on in to what I had just said.

Almost straight away I could see a lot of squirming from certain members of the gallery. Not just the gallery, but members of the Ministry. The ones who had been up my grandfather’s arse since whenever they thought the sun shone out of it! The very man who had been doing anything and everything he could to meddle and manipulate me since before I was even born.

Dumbledore had created so much disarray to my own mother, turning her close to someone who could be diagnosed with dementia, if she wasn’t still, in ways, sound of mind. She was forced into so much since her re-entering British soil, and when she came so close to finally being free...

My mother was forced into a home of sorts – of Dumbledore’s own blasted choosing, and illegally denied my rights, when I received my Lordship and heritage, to transfer her to elsewhere, where I believed she would have better care.

Oh, I was extremely pissed off!  
There was no more hiding and denying things now that I have spoken.

So much for a simple trial or whatever was meant to happen here. Not since some bloody imbeciles decided to go off at my husband! I just couldn’t hold back anymore!

By this point, it was very, very clear these people, the ones who created this entire mess of following Dumbledore’s word, as well as their own corrupt minds, plus whoever else involved, knew full bloody well that I wasn’t just the heir to the Dumbledore and Prince Households. I was also the flesh and blood to the one and only Tom Marvolo Riddle; also known as ‘Lord Voldemort’.

The true father I had been denied, all because of an old man’s fucked up belief that he ought to have any and all glory to everything that he was entitled to; didn’t matter if it was never his to have. Or to play people that he saw as ‘benefits’ to his schemes.

The judge tried tell me off, wanting to claim me of lying or some stupid thing, only to be cut off.

“It amazes me that it takes for a seventeen year old wizard to get this lot to knock off their ruckus, as opposed to a head honcho like yourself, who is meant to keep things on track! Instead you allow for a male bearer to be berated by a pack of morons, who can’t get past their own crooked and brainwashed thinking, while he is giving over his accounts of what happened! No wonder why Great Britain was going to the way it had!”

This wasn’t me who said this; instead it was a man from the gallery, who stood up to address the judge in the courtroom.  
My eyes widened a little, seeing him right there, with his clean cut features and lean build.  
There was no mistake in knowing who he was.

My father!  
I knew he was seeing me, too.  
He gives me a small nod, the tiniest hint of a smile, the kind I do at times.

###

Tom Riddle’s POV:

The judge near shit himself at the sight of me; so did a good number of people present here.  
I will admit; I wasn’t expecting myself to stand up and speak out. Perhaps if the judge didn’t act like one of the sheep, I might not have.

But I knew this Wizard, he was one of the enforcers who had me detained, and just by speaking the way he had to Lord Prince, my own son, trying to disclaim what had been stated just now, it was made obvious.  
Certain potions, or charms, were definitely at play here.

It was within this I had noticed various witches and wizards emerging; they arrested the judge, plus a few more. These were the ones that were missed during the first few rounds of questioning and detaining was happening.

The IWC were not mucking around, so it was discovered.  
Seems they had hoped to have waited until after Remus Lupin’s – no – Remus Prince’s testimony.

Nonetheless, what’s done is done.  
I notice then that Severus, (and Remus), had disappeared; meaning they well and truly weren’t within England’s boundaries.

But I knew, now.  
So did Severus; my son and heir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, slowly working on the fictions yet to be completed, including this one.  
Or simply continued. I think that is the mission at the moment - other than real life stuff, of course :-)


	16. Little More Freedom

Chapter 16  
Little more Freedom

Remus’s POV:

Severus did apologise to the IWC members and the Ministry of Australia and Britain, (the good ones), for barging in and giving the room a verbal spray; it was not meant to happen the way it had, but it worked out to being in our favour.

I guess seeing me getting the treatment I was getting from whoever was in that courtroom set my mate off.  
It took a couple days for me to settle down after the verbal attack.  
I know I shouldn’t allow such things get to me, but I couldn’t help it with this.  
He stopped me from apologising for shutting down the way I had, telling me that I was not at fault.

“It was your way of protecting yourself,” he says firmly. “You know full well that you’re of much more worth than what those fuckwits believe. They should not have done what they did.”  
“What happens now? I didn’t give over all of whatever they wanted from me.”  
“You’ve given enough, Remus, including the attacks that were set upon you and the ability to arrest and charge your parents for abuse, neglect and unlawful abandonment,” I remember being told by someone from the legal team who had been working with us.  
“You mean...? You found where my parents are?” I reply.

I think I sounded like a little boy when I was told.  
“We have, and have been granted access to retrieve them.”  
I didn’t know how to feel over this.  
The other was working out how to feel over what ought to be done to Potter, Black and Pettigrew.

No doubt they would probably be shitting themselves when the news came about on who Severus really was; Lordship, family ties and all. Also the fact that they knew they had committed crimes against a male bearer when he was already with a mate, and crimes of grievous assault upon a male bearer, (and person in general).  
I learned that Albus Dumbledore, who was being held in a special cell in Azkaban, had been stripped of all of his titles, and his position as one of the seat holders among Wizengamot was given over to Severus, being his only living heir, other than Aberforth, who had no interest in having the seat.

With so many blindly going along with what Albus was saying and doing ‘for the greater good’, Aberforth was humiliated for trying to warn others of his older brother and near on forgotten about.  
To make things fair, Severus made sure that Aberforth did get what is owed to him, which is a share in the Dumbledore fortunes and properties; something that was meant to happen after the death of their mother, Kendra, but Albus somehow forged things and made it very difficult for his brother to gain anything.

I was there when Severus had pieced together what was part of his history, gathering every item he could get a hold of, learning what he could.  
Evidence upon evidence – stuff that the IWC had trouble accessing; that was until people were put away and they were suddenly able to get to them.  
When Albus learned of what had happened, I heard that he vowed to find a way to get out of his cell and seek revenge against those who dared to oppose him.

But, the joke seemed to be on him, from my understanding, because of everything that had been stacked against him; I was told by Severus that the chances of him ever getting out of that cell are zero to none. There was more to it than that, I felt, however, I don’t think Severus was told in full of what was to happen to his grandfather.

I think he is still coming to terms with everything.  
Sentencing wouldn’t be for another few weeks, so we’ve learned.  
This was more because there was some sort of process where they needed Severus’s weigh in on what ought to happen to Black, Potter and Pettigrew, since it was still his right as my claiming mate to do so.

In the meantime, other things were being sorted out.  
Such as organising Severus’s mother’s transfer to a better facility home here in Australia. It was more of a little village, where she could have her own little granny flat like home, have well trained people check in on her, without taking away her independence – unlike the home she was in, where she was forced to stay in the one room for hours on end, much to Severus’s fight to have this changed; plus the forced ‘medication’ to keep her ‘stable’.  
Another was when Severus sent an owl, requesting to meet Tom Riddle face to face.  
Prepare for our daughter’s arrival in September.  
Speaking of... I really need that potion for heartburn.

###

Eileen’s POV:

I look around at my new little home. Never had I imagined ever being able to leave the other place. How I wish I remember what he had done to me to have me forget things so often. My son, Severus, would visit me whenever he could; promising me that he would find a way to set me free.

I had to admire his tenacity, he got it from his father; the man I married, before I was forced to be with another while I was still pregnant.

I was silenced, forbidden to tell my only child the truth of his existence; I was made to have him ‘take’ the brute’s name, ‘Snape’. But, I was able to place the name ‘Prince’ instead, when no-one was looking. I deliberately chose the name, knowing that it will someday, be a pinnacle point, one of as many as I could leave and ‘bury’, before I was truly caught by Albus Dumbledore.

I had known who he was. My father – my bearing father and the one who raised me on his own – told me the truth when I was deemed old enough to understand. Yet, he made sure I also knew that no matter how I came to be, I was wanted and loved; Papa refused to take any offers of becoming bonded to anyone, which copped him a fair amount of judgment, as it was seen as uncouth for a male bearer to remain single and raise a child on his own.

Yet it was deemed favourable if the siring male was doing the raising on his own?  
I never understood why.  
I don’t think I care to, as it’s pretty stupid and unfair to think this way about the bearers who are one of the few reasons why we have magic within our veins. So many forgetting their history or any who do, care to turn a blind eye.

When I heard of what had been happening, where my son had saved a bearer from a horrible fate, twice, and became that male’s mate, officially bonding with him, all I wanted to do was meet this person.

The other was picking up of the charges that had been laid and the arrests, which turned into a trial, where somewhere along the way of it, Severus stood up for his mate, Remus, and spilled quite a bit, causing a royal stir among the many who had done anything and everything to keep me silent, all over Dumbledore’s plan to control and scheme people for his own gain, whatever those were.

There had been speculation that he wanted to be Minister of Magic. However, he seriously denied this, claiming that his place was at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Why that is? I couldn’t say.  
All I know is my siring father is a fraudulent old man who is getting what he deserved after so many times of getting away with things.  
He kept me away from my husband, Tom, all because he believed that someone of his own flesh and blood should not mix with a half-blooded orphan. Not worthy to mingle with the Dumbledore line.

I remember how Tom was being coerced into looking into something known as Horcruxes. But this made him extremely uncomfortable; telling me that not even Salazar Slytherin – his own ancestor – would dare to attempt such madness. It was unnatural and Tom followed his gut feelings.  
He understood more later on, perhaps the few reasons why we left the British shores. My father regretted in telling me of his woes that had us return, but I shushed him of it, he couldn’t have known of what was to happen.

Oh, the many times I wanted to tell my son everything when he was a child. I did give him hints and clues, simple little nuggets that wouldn’t be thought much of to those who were watching me like a hawk.

I still believe that there is more to the reasons for the actions that had been taken against me and my family.  
Whatever they were, it almost seemed to not matter, because they didn’t seem to be relevant, now that I am now able to be closer to my son.  
Not only this, but to be with the man I still held dear; my husband, Tom.  
Words cannot describe on how surprised I was to finally see him again, entering the room I had been forced to stay in, with my son – our son, Severus.  
Because of what Dumbledore had done to me, and the continued abuse from those who chose to believe him over me, which was most of the home, as I was supposedly crazy, I am unable to be without some sort of assistance in my day to day life, but I am able to do things for myself where can.

The little home, which was a simple unit with two bedrooms, one bathroom and low maintenance, being in the location it was, would provide a good compromise.  
To my joy, Tom was going to live with me.  
I also got to meet my son-in-law, Remus, growing belly and all.

I could see that he was very reserved and shy, but after a little further in getting to know him a little more, I could see a very articulate young man and one I wanted to protect within the first thirty minutes or so of our meeting. I could see why Severus fell for him.  
Why anyone would wish to cause harm upon someone with a naturally gentle soul, or even abandon... I couldn’t begin to imagine it.  
The things I had come to learn...

Perhaps as to why Remus clung to the bad crowd, desperate to feel that he belonged and was approved of.  
Now, thanks to my son, he didn’t have to be with fakes.  
I can really begin to look forward to the future; the bonus of it all being with my husband once more; extra bonus will be meeting my granddaughter.


	17. Time Has Past

Chapter 17  
Time Has Past

Severus’s POV:

I was woken by the sounds of discomfort coming from Remus.  
I turn my side lamp on and roll over to see him sitting on the edge of the bed, his back was to me, body looking like it was going between tense and relaxing again. Whatever the definition of relaxing was for Remus in this case.

“My wolf?” I say, pushing myself up to move over to him, it was then when I see the pinkish wet patch on the sheets where he had been lying. “When did that happen?”  
“I think about five minutes ago, I don’t know, I just started feeling tightness going on and off for the past thirty or so minutes, and then that happened. I thought it was my needing the bathroom, but it just keeps coming.”  
He says this, just as he started to tense up again.  
“Let’s get you to the hospital,” I suggest, getting off the bed to quickly throw some clothes on.

The Healers had organised a special portkey for this particular case. Though it wasn’t uncommon to have homebirths here in Australia, it was apparent that some births were best done within the hospitals; particularly first births – didn’t matter if the birthing parent was male or female, as they were well equipped for both.  
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the Healer Midwives who were to be taking care of us.

I know that in the lead up we’ve had a bit of a tour, but still, the birth room was almost like a hotel suite. Remus did feel overwhelmed at the scale of the place, yet at ease in ways, knowing that he was going to be safe.  
What impressed me was the birth rooms also doubled as the room for the new parents and newborns to stay in for as long as necessary; be it for a number of hours, to a couple of days. Very different to the Muggle hospitals where they put the mothers and babies in a ward full of shared rooms.

The bed was huge – it looked huge from my perspective, don’t know how it was for Remus, as he just sat on the edge, clenching his hands into fists, doing his best to listen to the midwife in breathing with the contractions.  
They managed to put special monitoring charms on to him and our soon to be born daughter, where their heart rates, oxygen levels and Remus’s contractions were able to be kept an eye upon.  
Due to the flexibility of the charms Remus was able to move around as much, or as little, as he liked.

I cannot describe what it is like to be him right now, but I feel that he was handling this ordeal as well as he could muster.  
Our daughter’s heart beating ever strongly, showing that she was coping just as well as her birthing father. Both doing what they could to work with the other to get through this important moment.  
Time was a weird thing; it seemed to fly, though it was slow all the same.  
My main focus was helping my husband where I could.

###

Remus’s POV:

All throughout the day I just could not get comfortable. I thought it was simply because the day was rather warmer than what I am probably used to, and I was three days away from due date.

I had decided to have an early night, calling it at around six-thirty, as I just felt flat and almost no energy. I remember having something small to eat before hand, I don’t remember knowing if I had gotten any sleep, but I know Severus did join me at some point.

The niggling started, I clenched my teeth, trying to remember what I was told about breathing through this sort of thing, doing my best to time them as they came and went, and not easy when this was my first time and sort of guessing in how often they were apart.

At first, I thought I had leaked pee, as I went to sit up, only to feel the sudden warmth escaping, followed by a painful tensing in my abdomen. Well, I wasn’t sure if painful was the right word, but it certainly was not comfortable.

I was waiting for them to subside to wake Severus, only to find that I didn’t have to.  
Now, whatever many hours later, I am clinging to the railing that was on the bed, where I stuck myself, lying partially on my side, with a leg up a little, resting on one of the midwife’s shoulders.

“You’re about to start crowning, Remus, so now is the point where slow pushes is more beneficial,” I hear the voice of another midwife; I must be in some zone, because it bloody helped get past the stinging I was receiving from being stretched.

Stinging was, perhaps, an understatement, but that’s what I am using to describe it.  
Once the shoulders were out, it was as though the rest of her just flopped out of me.  
A weird sense of relief came over me, along with this surge of just wanting to hold my baby and see her for myself.  
So when she was placed on my chest, cord still attached, (to allow for blood to pump and circulate a bit more, before clamping), and my arms just automatically held her protectively; examining her; learning her scent and her appearance; loving her more and more by the second.

“I’m proud of you, my wolf,” I hear Severus say softly in my ear, feeling his lips press against my temple.  
His own hand taking her tiny one; more like her little fingers wrapping around his forefinger, his thumb resting gently on top of those fingers.  
I could already see within his eyes on how much he wanted nothing more than to truly protect this little blessing of ours; just like he had been even before she was born, when we were nearly knocked for six over absurd demands, from none other than Albus Dumbledore, the sheer audaciousness!

Why?

Merlin knows, but he certainly is trying to regain his old status. A little difficult being stuck in a cell surrounded by Dementors, and powers severely reduced to something less than a squib. The other is that he will soon be handed over to the Goblins, after Severus had learned that his dear grandfather had been cheating them out of gold he had owed, so as a way to make amends, (and because he actually had a friendship with a few of them to earn him healthy respect), he gave over as much of what was owed at once in a lump sum, plus set up a transaction to have gold of a certain sum, or what was deemed of equal value, (and wasn’t of importance to Severus or his parents), transferred from one of the vaults that he had inherited once a month, until the debt was paid in full.

The other was allowing for the Goblins to have Dumbledore in their custody. Severus’s exact words were “deal with him as you see fit”, adding on how he was making threats against our unborn child, claiming he will have her taken from us the moment she is born.  
How he even managed to get such a message through to us, we don’t know. It was enough to send me into a panic.

The bastard received a nice visit from Tom and Severus – which is when the debt was discovered whilst visiting the British shores. Needless to say, the once holier than thou Wizard, known as Albus Dumbledore, wasn’t exactly thrilled with the new arrangements, and a little promise that was sent through to the Daily Prophet, (and even translated into different languages in case of anyone who decided to still attempt this threat), that if anyone did try and kidnap our daughter, they will be wishing they hadn’t been born.

Now that she is actually here, physically in my arms, searching and trying to find a latch, while the midwives were busying with getting things ready to have the cord clamped, with Severus getting the honour of cutting it, the injection to help ease the placenta out and whatever else they were doing, there was just no chance in hell that we could ever, ever allow for anyone to take her away from us.

She had fine stands of dark hair, her nose was more on the straight side, couldn’t tell if she had wide set eyes or not, but it didn’t matter, she was showing that she was a perfect blend of Severus and me.  
It took her a few goes, with help, to find what she was after.

Like our female counter parts, male bearers do lactate. Only difference is, for whatever reason, we can only produce and sustain such feeding for up to six months, after that, it’s special formula, and most are starting solids by then; whereas the females can go up to two or three years.  
I will take what I can get.

“Do we have a name picked out, so we can put it on our notes?” asked one of the midwives.  
Severus and I had quite a few names that we had set aside, but hadn’t settled because we wanted to wait until she was born to decide.  
Looking right into her little face, I couldn’t hold back in replying;  
“Vanessa.”  
I immediately turn to look at Severus, feeling as though I should have asked what he thought first, only for him to give me a smile of approval.

###

Severus’s POV:

Watching Vanessa entering the world, hearing her first sounds, seeing how my mate was already pulling her to him, like a switch had turned on within him to just ‘know’, a sense of pride washed over me; and reality.

My daughter was here, Remus and I were a family, and I couldn’t be more proud, and in love, of this fact.  
Her name was a small pickle to figure out from, as we had certain names that we both agreed upon for varying reasons.

One of them was she had to have two middle names, and one of the three names – the first and two middle – being tied to a member of the family one either side. A strong tradition in the Prince line; something that got Remus a little stumped on, as he really didn’t have anyone on his side worth using, not even to feminise, so he went looking for names that would be just as honourable.

At first Remus didn’t know whether to voice the names he liked; he was still in his shell, afraid to share, feeling he had no say. I didn’t really know of this until I stumbled upon a little notebook and found a decent list of girls’ names, plus unisex names. I saw that he had even looked up variations of names that were from my side.

I took the list and wrote down all of the names I believed would suit perfectly for our little girl, adding a few of my own choices into the mix. Going as far as suggesting a few combinations that fit each of the names we liked, plus family connecting name.  
When I heard Remus answer the midwife with Vanessa when asked for her name, I could see he figured out what her first name was meant to be. It was one of my mother’s names, yes, but he liked it for its meaning; ‘butterfly’.

“Vanessa Audrey Rose Prince,” I then say.  
Audrey because it was a name I desired, and Rose turned out to be a favourite for Remus, almost every name combination he thought of had “Rose” in it somewhere, or a variation to the name.  
Seeing her nestling into Remus, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name.

Holding her for the first time, she was so lightweight. Remus was helped off the bed so he could be cleaned up and the bed changed of all the blood and whatever else – child birth really was a messy business; yet when I look at our daughter, she was every bit worth it. I know deep down that having her would be an extra helping point in my mate, not because she is our daughter and it’s our duty to care for her, no, Vanessa would give him a reason to fight.

I already saw how much he was willing to do what it took to give her the best life possible. The childhood he never got to enjoy.  
We had requested to be left alone for the first certain amount of hours, I think it was twelve hours, I couldn’t quite remember, I just know it was a good enough amount of time, so we could best bond with Vanessa. It also would allow for Remus to rest and heal a little.

The Healers didn’t count, as they had a job to do, ensuring that Remus was healing properly, checking for any worrying looking clots, or any sign of haemorrhaging, or simply to help ease the pain, and make sure there was no infection. As well as making sure Vanessa was doing what she was meant to be doing, too.  
She had managed to find a good latch straight away, which was a good sign. However they did check for possible tongue or lip tie, which can cause some complications with feeding. So far so good.

Though the request for visitors was up, it didn’t stop the well wishes and congratulations from coming in. We received sealed envelopes and little gifts from people we knew, and were genuine to us.  
A gift basket from Minerva and Poppy; as well as a thank you letter from Poppy.

We had learned of the brutality Madam Pomfrey had faced when it came to the old Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – just another reason to be glad I had struck that deal with the Goblins. My dear Grandfather – if I can even call him that – won’t be committing any acts of violence toward anyone for a very long time.

Little toys and items that may serve whatever purpose they’re meant for in the future; including a baby record book, nicely decorated photo frames and even another gift basket filled with nappies, wipes and bathing items.

If it wasn’t physical gifts, it was gift cards or money – well that will certainly come in handy when trying to figure out what our daughter would even need. Or us... I am thinking coffee... and lots of it! Maybe a coffee machine?

The bliss of it all was wonderful.  
I just wasn’t expecting the sudden intrusion.

I had ducked off to home to grab some fresh clean clothes for Remus and Vanessa, as well as have the dirty lot either chucked in for a wash, or just simply chucked out. Also gave me a chance to change and clean our bed and linen, and whatever else that was quick and easy to do, I remembered to grab the snacks for Remus, too.

When I reached the room Remus and Vanessa were in, the first thing I saw was Remus standing in front of the crib where our daughter was swaddled and sleeping, wand out and this deadly glint in his eye.

He was pointing his wand right at a man, who was the same height as Remus, and a woman, who was a tad shorter.  
It was upon this when I realised who they were. What in Merlin’s fucking left nostril are they doing here?


	18. Mumma Wolf

Chapter 18  
Mumma Wolf

Remus’s POV;

I don’t know how they managed t get past the Healers; there are a few possibilities, but right now all I am upset about the fact that they are here!  
Severus had gone home; I wasn’t worried, knowing that he would be back. I was feeding Vanessa at the time, and feeling quite relaxed.

When Vanessa was settled, I decided to go for a shower, needing a really good wash down. I know I had a decent clean after my daughter was born, (giving Severus a chance to start bonding with her), but after a while it felt a little too icky for my liking down there and I just wanted to feel a little more clean in general. Not that Vanessa was bothered by how I smelt or any of that, clearly.

Anyway, I enjoyed the hot water, scrub down and even cleaning my teeth, as I can’t remember doing that before calling it just before Vanessa decided to make her entry, and I realised how horrible my mouth felt.

Once dressed comfortably, I leave the bathroom to see Vanessa still nestled in her little crib, but it was seconds later when I see a set of hands about to pick her up.  
Immediately I dashed over, pushing the woman away from my daughter.

“_Get away from her!_” I growl.

I don’t remember pulling my wand out, but it was in my hand pointing at the dark brown haired woman, accompanied with a man with the same light brown hair as mine. My bluish green eyes came from him, as well as my facial outline and build.  
Oh, how much I despised them!

Not long after the sentencing of Dumbledore, Potter, Black, Pettigrew and whoever else, had been carried out, a letter and form came to us; it was a seizing of custody for our daughter, complete with a filled out adoption form.

When I saw who was making the demands and who was backing this, Severus had to really calm me down.  
Sending a restraining order or whatever it was.

The fact that they had managed to escape whatever charges that were put against them, (I don’t know how, since it was clear that they had done wrong, but it seemed it did come down to whoever was doing the judging and punishments), had already made me feel as though I didn’t matter.  
Not even Severus could really do much. Some laws and rules were still in need for updating, it seemed, on top of things.

However when this letter and form came, we were assured that they couldn’t just come in and take our child. Sadly, they could demand visitations, but they would need us to agree. Severus and I refused to allow them anywhere near us during the rest of my pregnancy; especially when they rocked up during one of my appointments leading up to now.  
Severus wasn’t with me; as he had other things to do on that day, so I was practically alone, save for the Healers.  
The grips of fear I had, paralysed in the chair I was in, going into a form of panic in just seeing them right in front of me. Listening to the words they were using to the Healers.

“We want to be in the room when he goes into labour, so once our child is out we can ensure that we can start bonding with it, and the process of taking it with us.”  
“Or if it happens before we can be informed, we are to be informed straight away, so we can come in as soon as possible.”  
Severus had to be called in; not surprising on how livid he was by the incident.

The Healers that allowed it to happen were ripped into, as there was an order in place, and it was on the records. Yet, it seemed that blasted form was, too.  
Needless to say, someone was trying to screw with us, proving this by the fact that they came right on into my room, dared to just put their hands on my daughter! Like they had some god damn right to her!

“_No!_” I speak in this tone I didn’t know I had. “Just _**no**_! _You **do not**_ get to do that to _me_! You stopped calling me your son when I was eleven or twelve, probably well before that! You left me without a home! Before that you abused me, neglected me, and made me believe that I was insignificant and unlovable!  
“_You dare_ to come here and attempt to take _my child_ from me! Like you have this belief that you are fit to be in her life, let alone raise her over me and my mate! Not even giving a bloody reason as to why you are doing this to me! To us! Only charging in, thinking you don’t have to explain yourselves!”__

_ _ The man who I once knew as my father spoke;  
“We’re just concerned for the welfare of our daughter! You’re only a seventeen year old child, Remus; you still have a life to lead before you give it up for the sake of raising a child.”  
Did he just call me a child?  
“You’re also a werewolf; we just cannot allow for someone like you to raise Hope,” said the woman once known as my mother.  
Now that was an even bigger verbal slap in the face in so many more ways than one._ _

_ _ “_Her name is **Vanessa**_!” I snarl. “She is _not_ your daughter! She is _**mine**_! She is not going anywhere with you! You don’t deserve to know her! Let alone have the sheer notion that you get to just take her, believing that I am just going to roll over and allow it!  
“_How dare you_ try and call her by _that name_! You have no right to it! _How dare you_ insult me in my ability to raise my child! _You’re_ the _reason_ why I was attacked in the first place! It was _your damned **fault**_! Yet, you put it on me, a _child_, for your mistake! Adding insult to injury in no longer seeing me as a person, daring to set things up through Dumbledore to have the same werewolf who turned me become my alpha! All because you wanted to make sure your own conscience was clean. Or whatever it was you were hoping to gain.  
“But when that didn’t work out and you learned of what was happening, you _dared_ to find some other way to hurt me! By trying to take my own flesh and blood away from me! Why? What did I do to deserve such abuse and hate from the very people who were meant to love me?”_ _

_ _ Neither one of them could find words to speak.  
But the woman did try to take a step toward the crib, where I could now hear my daughter crying.  
My wand really pointed at her, stepping in her way._ _

_ _ “Are you really going to harm me, Remus?” she then says, there was this slither of a look in her light blue eyes.  
For a split second, I wasn’t sure, but that was went she went to move around me, to my daughter.  
A string of electric blue shot very close to her, grazing her cheek, where I see a slight cut had formed.  
She stared right at me, shocked, as I go and pick up my daughter, holding her firmly to me._ _

_ _ “I dare you to try that again, Josephine,” my voice in a tone that meant I was not playing.  
Her eyes widened even more. “How...?”  
“I have my husband, Lord Prince, to thank!” I say, full of hatred and rile toward her and this man who I once knew. “Don’t you ever show your faces to me, or attempt your shit in stealing my daughter again, unless you wish to know just how to conserve oxygen in a confined space! Now, get out!”  
I don’t even remember crumbling, but as they were hauled away by security, by which I don’t remember even calling for, or notice entering, familiar arms were being put around me, while I just held our daughter close to me; the reality of it all kicking in._ _

_ _###_ _

_ _ Severus’s POV: _ _

_ _I was livid beyond words at the stunt Lyle and Josephine had pulled. More than when we discovered certain ‘truths’ about Remus’s own birth and why things turned out the way they had._ _

_ _ Amazingly, it had nothing to do with a certain old bastard at the beginning. Turns out people can be twisted without help – and just another reason to add why certain laws are meant to be upheld! If only this was the case._ _

_ _ Remus didn’t have to say much in what he knew, but the look on Lyle and Josephine’s faces was priceless when he said just enough.  
Again, it truly bothers me how they even got away with any of what they had done in the past, and still proceed to...  
_Gah!_  
How they managed to get past the Healers after we had specifically requested certain measures to be in place. Even the ones who were on duty were baffled as to what happened for this to occur._ _

_ _ At the same time, I saw a side of Remus I knew was there deep down.  
He did succumb to tears and shaking at the end, clutching Vanessa to him, once they were being dragged away, but darn it! He was a real alpha wolf then and there protecting his pup!_ _

_ _ “You did what you had to do, my Wolf,” I say, pulling him into me, holding him firmly, Vanessa between us, and his head on my shoulder._ _

_ _ Needless to say, it took a good number of hours to calm my mate down, as he had this sense of paranoia that someone was going to just suddenly come and take our daughter whenever someone came into the room. Nearly to the point where he was afraid to go into the bathroom, because that’s where he happened to be when those two idiots came in, thinking they had an opportunity to take what didn’t belong to them._ _

_ _ I shudder to think of what else they would have done.  
When the discovery of the two had somehow been placed on the list that they were able to come and take Vanessa away, I demanded an investigation on who and how.  
How the hell did this get past the Australian Ministry? Or IWC?  
Even the members of the Australian based branch were alarmed and rightly so, as they were the extreme opposite to the British branch, even if the British were doing their best to rectify themselves._ _

_ _ Someone was clearly going to have their head rolled for this blunder that was for sure!  
In the meantime, I had the task of calming Remus down, assuring him that it won’t happen again. That Vanessa won’t be taken away from us!_ _

_ _ “But how can you be sure? They managed to do what they did to me and my mother,” he says mournfully and afraid, perhaps a hint of incensed.  
“Because they would be having an extremely pissed off father and an equally ticked off grandfather going after them if they did pull off what they were intending,” I tell him. I had half a mind to go after them right now if I wasn’t more concerned for my intimate family.  
We were on the bed, with our daughter resettled down against my chest._ _

__ _ “What do we do, Severus?”  
“We will continue headlong and get through, like we always have,” I reply, gently resting my cheek against the top of his head, (as he was resting on my shoulder).  
Note to self, I am going to need to make another meeting with some friends of mine..._


	19. Brief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't know what to call this chapter.

Chapter 19  
Brief

Remus’s POV

Because of the incident that had happened – and someone had been found out for it – Vanessa and I were allowed to be discharged the very next day, instead staying for the few days as first planned.

I just couldn’t relax, despite reassurances that it wouldn’t happen again, can they really blame me?  
My daughter was nearly kidnapped and...  
The nerve of calling her by her name! _My mother’s name!_  
In truth, I had thought of placing the name ‘Hope’ as an option, but I dismissed it, for it was just too painful for me.

Being home did help in the way it was meant to; walking around and seeing what was beyond familiar and comfortable now, feeling myself calming as best as possible, knowing that I was safe here.  
_We_ were safe here.  
Severus wanted to burn the mole alive, but since we weren’t given that information, he couldn’t go and do that. Didn’t stop him from making sure that a mistake like that never happened again, though.

Not sure what it was he actually did, but there were no unannounced drop ins from Lyle and Josephine whenever it came to Vanessa, whenever she was taken for whatever reason, usually periodic checkups to make sure she was on the right track.  
What helped even more is that they didn’t know where we were.  
Unfortunately, it didn’t stop the threatening letters from coming through.  
That was until Severus and Tom tracked them down, and dragged them to an undisclosed location. I don’t know what exactly transpired; only that the harassments stopped completely; only then did I think the panic attacks would stop, and I can start to truly enjoy my daughter.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.  
I had started to become a little paranoid, afraid for Vanessa’s safety, believing that someone was truly going to just come along and steal her, and what wasn’t helping was the flashbacks.  
Memories of when I was a small child, witnessing her standing at the front door of our home, begging, crying... screaming for her child... who was cruelly stolen from her... I wasn’t supposed to witness anything, but when I saw what I saw and... It was too late, to cover their tracks they...  
Severus had to talk me out of those, get me to come back to the present, where I was with people who would do anything and everything they could to ensure that our daughter was safe; no-one was going to dare try and take our butterfly away!

“They would have to have a serious death wish if they did,” Severus assures.  
The more I started to ease up, the less frequent the flashbacks became; particularly as I was getting more and more confident with caring for Vanessa, who was showing her little characteristics more and more.

Already showing her inquisitive side, with any sounds, and really lights up whenever she hears either Severus or I, and by around six weeks she would start to really try and garble and coo, as though she was carrying her own little conversation. Loved to be held close and snug to either one of us, hated the cot!  
Every time we would put her in that thing, not even five minutes later, she would scream, causing us to bring her to our room, to our bed, just so we would sleep.  
I heard that it wasn’t recommended to co-sleep, but when you’re trying to get some form of sleep before she was set for another feed and nappy change, you do what you gotta do. The best thing we did was having a little mini cot of sorts that had three sides, the fourth was not there, as it was to be attached alongside the side of the bed, this was so the baby could sleep in that, right next to the parent, instead of the cot.

Best decision made!  
Vanessa was much more able to sleep, as she wasn’t keen on being at that distance of another room from us, and during the night when she would stir to be fed and changed, it saved stumbling through the dark to get to her, as she was right next to us.  
In a blink of an eye a week goes by, then two, until before we knew it, she was approaching her first birthday in a matter of weeks.

She had reached various milestones, rolling at around three months, crawling at six and a half; she was practically speeding through the house when she figured that out, getting into whatever she could, and keeping us on our toes as a result.

She wasn’t the greatest when she was teething, however, Severus had his work cut out for him trying to find the right potion that would sooth, as there were a few that were suited for children under the age of two and younger, it apparent came down to the taste where our daughter was concerned, she really chucked a wobbly at the very first one given, sipping it out entirely, for a 7 month old, she was having none of it.

Vanessa was more accepting of the second one, and didn’t mind the third and last of the potions that were for offer.  
Vanessa was heavily adored by her grandparents; Eileen and Tom – can easily tell that she is going to be spoiled rotten, if she wasn’t already.  
The same was said when it came to the workers, who didn’t seem to bat an eye on her being raised by two fathers, I don’t think they bothered to ask how she even came to be, plausible in their thinking she was simply adopted, but I don’t know, I just know they saw it as a treat whenever she was in the caravan park area or the animal shelter, whichever we took her to.  
Plus, I had near on forgotten about Lyle and Josephine and their attempt to take Severus’s and my daughter away.  
Or... any other people wanting to crush our happiness for that matter.

We were happy, and looking forward to the plans on taking Vanessa to the beach for her the first time. We could have done a party, but it just wasn’t something that we felt was a full on must, basing our reasoning on the fact that Vanessa is still only small, and she will likely to grow up and have that stuff later on as she does. In the meantime, it’s just us three for the day.

Tom and Eileen would like to come by a few days before we leave, as it was agreed that we – Severus and I with Vanessa – would spend three nights on the coast, rather than just a single day, so there was no need to rush around.  
So it’s fair to say that the events that unfolded on the thirty-first of August arrived, two weeks away from Vanessa’s birthday, (fifteenth September), and our get away, left me feeling beyond pissed and scared.

I had taken Vanessa with me to the animal shelter; Severus had some business details to work out on the caravan side, and everything was pretty standard routine.  
Carol and I were outside, cleaning and fixing any of the outer pens and shelters that were in need of maintaining or written for detail to be done by someone more equipped; this also had us ensuring the animals, if there were any, were all where they’re meant to be.

To help, Lauren took Vanessa to help keep her occupied; we had acquired some new rescue animals, some of which were suitable for the little Butterfly to have a peek, with a possible touch or hold.

Everything was safe and in no way should it have occurred, yet, as Carol and I were just about done with Jerry the Pig’s pen, we heard the panicked and fighting screams of Lauren, as well as a sound that made the pit of my stomach go cold – Vanessa had cried out, only for it to ‘disappear’ into thin air.

By the time I reached the location of where the screams had come from; Lauren was on the ground, shaking and sporting a nasty gash on her arm, tears down her cheeks.  
“They came too quickly, I tried, but...”

In her bloodied hand was something I thought I would never see again; and it was upon seeing this and no sign of Vanessa...  
_**No...**_  
I don’t even remember what I did next...


End file.
